A Soldiers Loyalty
by Otachii
Summary: When faced with the ultimate betrayal, how far will Haruka's loyalty to her princess take her? Can love and devotion truly change the path of destiny Usagi and her Soldiers walk or, will hearts and the world be left in shards? UsaHaru Yuri Shoujo-ai
1. A Betrayal to Fate

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any characters in this story taken from the anime/manga Sailor Moon. All characters taken from said anime/manga belong to their original creator Naoko Takeuchi.

**WARNING:** Hardcore Michiru(Michelle) and Mamoru(Darien) fans beware! You're probably not gonna like this fic. You've been warned, so don't bitch at me later.

Usagi- Serena (Sailor Moon)

Mamoru- Darien (Tuxedo Mask)

Ami- Amy (Sailor Mercury)

Rei- Raye (Sailor Mars)

Makoto- Lita (Sailor Jupiter)

Minako- Mina (Sailor Venus)

Chibiusa- Rini (Sailor Chibi Moon/Sailor Mini Moon)

Setsuna- Trista (Sailor Pluto)

Michiru- Michelle (Sailor Neptune)

Haruka- Amara (Sailor Uranus)

Hotaru- Hotaru (Sailor Saturn)

"_**English**_"

* * *

><p>The battles were over, every single one had been won by the Moon Princess, the future queen of Silver Tokyo, and her faithful Sailor Soldiers. Peace was once again restored to the universe as so upon Earth where the princess and her soldiers resided. Yet something was wrong, they all felt it; a faint feeling of disturbance constantly nagging at their very beings. It was always there but none of them knew what it was. Not one suspected that this faint feeling of disarray in the steady balance of life could completely knock destiny off its set course.<p>

They were blinded by the need for peace in their lives. Blinded by the thought that the battles were over and they could finally live their lives like normal people, like normal girls. They thought it was all over and it was finally time for them to rest, finally time to just sit back and let fate—a future they already knew would come—take its course. They never suspected that one last battle, a battle that would alter the very destiny of the future queen and her soldiers, was about to be fought. Nor that when it comes to destiny, to the future, to love nothing is ever a certainty…

**Chapter One**

**A Betrayal to Fate**

_Your heart began to be scorched, and there was a smell of it._

_It was the end of your dream, and the start of everything…_

_-Moments_ by Ayumi Hamasaki

Night had fallen over the city of Tokyo; twinkling stars spotted the dark black and bluish sky above, accompanied by a luminous crescent moon that glowed brilliantly. It was a beautiful night, clear and peaceful, showing no sign that anything was out of the ordinary. But there was still an ominous feeling that the small group of girls that occupied the little bedroom in the local shrine couldn't seem to shake. What was worse, Setsuna had quietly made contact with every single one of them, out of the blue, demanding a meeting and begged the other soldiers to keep it secret from their princess. What it was about no one could say, but judging by the urgency she had spoken with to each of the girls it couldn't be anything good.

The soldiers were worried, but still for the most part they pushed their enormous feelings of foreboding to the side, forcing them to be simple dull nagging. None of them could imagine what sort of trouble could be coming. True things like this, feelings like this had come to them in the past and, had been closely followed by some sort of imminent disaster they would have to stop. But that was all over now. They had fought all the battles they had been destined to fight and, had won them like it was their destiny to do so. They knew what was supposed happen next; Usagi and Mamoru would get married, they would create Crystal Tokyo and Chibiusa would be born and all would be right with the world. So none of the Sailor Soldiers had seen any reason to panic or become distressed. But then why couldn't they shake this dark feeling that something wasn't right?

Just by looking at the small group of girls it was impossible to tell that any of them were the slightest bit worried. They were all simply hanging around Rei's bedroom chatting animatedly about anything and everything as they often did. Or at least Rei and Minako chatted; Ami was too busy reading some text book for college, she had finally started pre-med school. Makoto was far too wrapped up in whatever song was playing through the headphones plugged into her Ipod and, Haruka was leaning against the wall near the room's sliding door, her head bowed and her arms crossed over her chest.

All of it was greatly troubling her; the odd ominous feelings and, then Setsuna's sudden demand for an urgent meeting. But neither of those things held top priority in Haruka's mind. No what was really bothering her was the fact that Michiru had been so distant lately. The two girls had always been close, even before they had become lovers, but as of late it was as if there was some sort of invisible wall between them. Haruka could peer in at Michiru but she couldn't seem to touch the other woman anymore. Haruka wondered if something was bothering her lover. But if that was the case why wouldn't she tell her? Michiru had always told her everything.

Just that night, as Haruka had headed out on her way to the meeting, Michiru had refused to come along. She claimed she had something she needed to take care of. Something she couldn't tell Haruka about.

"_**I'r be by yo side whereevar you fahrr, in tha dead of nigh whenevar you cahrr. And prease don figh dese hands tha ah hordin you. My hans ah hordin you**__._" Haruka's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Makoto who broke into song, apparently singing along to her Ipod.

"Oi!" Minako called as she threw a piece of popcorn which hit Makoto square between the eyes. Makoto pulled her headphones out of her ears, giving Minako a questioning look. "What are you singing?"

"Oh, it's a song by this American singer called Despo." Makoto smiled widely, a rather dreamy look in her big green eyes. "She's _amazing_."

"Can you even understand it?" Rei questioned with raised eyebrows. They all knew how terrible Makoto's English was.

"Not all of it." Makoto shrugged. "But love has no language." The young woman stated wisely. Minako smiled; the goddess of love obviously approved.

"Are all her songs love songs?" Rei asked inquisitively with just a hint of sarcasm in her tone before popping a piece of popcorn between her lips and munching slowly.

"I don't think so, in fact most of her songs are rock songs but she sings every song with love and passion in her voice." Makoto sighed, the dreamy look back in her eyes, obviously choosing to ignore Rei's sarcasm. "Did I mention she was _amazing_?"

"Yes you did." Rei stated disinterestedly. "But if she's so amazing, you should let her do the singing." Ami giggled behind the shield of the book she held close to her nose.

"Yeah." Minako agreed. "Your English is terrible Mako-chan."

"I doubt you guys could do any better." Makoto grumbled defensively as she began to bring her headphones back up to her ears.

"_**I'll be**_ _**by your side wherever you fall, in the dead of night whenever you call. And please don't fight these hands that are holding you. My hands are holding you. **_" Makoto's head snapped to the side, wide eyes falling upon Haruka, the other girls were quick to follow. Even Ami looked up from her book.

"Wow." Minako stated in wonder, Rei nodded as if agreeing, too shocked for words.

"Your pronunciation was flawless Haruka-san." Ami smiled admiringly.

"You know the song?" Makoto's eyebrows rose in awe but Haruka never rose her head or looked over at the other girls.

"I've heard it." She shrugged before going back to her thinking.

But before the other girls could resume their previous activities, the sliding door that led outside of Rei's room was slid across its rails and Setsuna stepped into the room. Each girl seemed to drop what they were doing immediately, all noticing the very gloomy look on the older woman's pretty face. Ami put her book down, Makoto placed her headphones and Ipod down on Rei's table, Rei and Minako slid their popcorn off to the side but, once again Haruka didn't even look up. There was no time for a carefree heart-felt reunion; it was business the minute Setsuna made her entrance.

"What's the matter Setsuna?" The blonde woman asked, never even opening her eyes. Setsuna shook her head softly as she closed the sliding door and stepped into the room. She came to kneel on the floor in front of the small table that sat in the middle of the room, across from Rei and Minako.

Everyone was on edge, waiting for Setsuna to speak, waiting for her to offer some sort of explanation for her strange behavior. But minutes past and the woman remained silent. She simply knelt there, her hands clasped tightly upon her lap and her eyes locked on the table in front of her as if she were deep in thought and, by the look on her face the thoughts that were running through her mind were not happy ones.

"Well…?" Rei asked but Setsuna didn't answer. "Setsuna what's the matter?"

"I'm... not sure." Setsuna finally said, but it was obvious that the other soldiers found her answer very unsatisfactory.

"What the hell is this all about Setsuna?" Makoto suddenly burst out in a very peeved tone but the woman didn't flinch, she didn't even look up at her. "Why weren't we allowed to tell Usagi about this meeting?" Everyone was wondering the exact same thing, but leave it to Makoto to ask it so rudely and bluntly.

"Not to mention Luna." Artemis grumbled from his place in Minako's lap. "She'll skin me alive if she ever finds out I conspired to keep her out of the loop of things."

"I didn't want to worry her." Setsuna answered calmly. "Not until I know what it means, you know how she is. Also, I've already spoken with Luna and she agrees with me." Artemis rose his head looking affronted. Clearly the idea of Luna keeping information from _him_ did not sit well with the feline.

"What, what means?" Ami asked, pressing closer toward Setsuna.

"There is a disturbance in time." This caught the group's attention, even Haruka opened her eyes and looked toward the other female in bewilderment. But Setsuna never rose her eyes from the table. "The gate to the future, the future Chibiusa exists in, is disappearing… it's fading way."

"What?" Makoto stated breathlessly. Every pair of eyes in the room were wide, every face twisted into a look of shock. All except Setsuna's, who just continued to look perturbed.

"H-how?" Rei stuttered.

"Why?" Ami continued.

"What does it mean?" Minako questioned exasperatedly, clutching Artemis tightly around the middle as the cat gawked at Setsuna.

"I don't know." Setsuna shook her head and it was then that she finally looked up, her eyes scanning the faces of the other soldiers. "But whatever the reason is, I know it can't be good."

* * *

><p>Haruka gripped hard at the steering wheel of her sleek and stylish sports car, her eyes locked upon the road ahead of her but not seeing anything that lay there as she sped down the streets of Juban District. Her mind was so distracted by the meeting with the other soldiers she had just left that she hardly even noticed that she was in her car, let alone that she was driving it. <em>'The gate to the future is disappearing, but why?'<em>

"_I told you, I don't know why." Setsuna answered calmly, her voice distant as if she were lost in her uneasy mind._

"_How can you not know why?" Minako questioned in a voice that was both genuinely curious and rather annoyed. "You're the keeper of time!"_

"_Yes." Setsuna nodded her cool red eyes focusing upon Minako. "I am time's guardian, not its ruler. I have no control over what happens in my realm, I once thought I had all knowledge of it but apparently I was mistaken." Once again Setsuna bowed her head to stare at her hands in her lap, clenched tightly around one another. "I don't understand it."_

"_So this has never happened before?" Haruka questioned thoughtfully, her eyes also downcast to the floor as she too lost herself in thought. _

_Setsuna shook her head "No." _

"_We have to tell Usagi." Rei cut in, biting her lower lip softly._

"_Yes." Ami agreed with a nod. "She has to know."_

"_She would only panic." Setsuna said softly. "Life for her, for all of you has been so happy lately, I don't want to worry her unless we know for sure there's a problem."_

"_Obviously there's a problem!" Makoto interjected in a firm tone. "Why else would the gate be disappearing?"_

"_Perhaps we should consult Mamoru first." Ami suggested wisely._

"_Yes tell Mamo-chan." Minako agreed with a smirk. "Then we can dump the task of telling Usagi on him." She gave an evil little snicker and Artemis was quick to extract his claws and dig them slightly into her knee causing the blonde to yelp and jump._

"_This is serious Minako." He scolded._

"_Sorry, jeez, I was just trying to lighten the mood."_

"_I'll go see Mamoru right away." Setsuna stated as she began to rise to her feet._

"_No, I'll go." Haruka said as she pushed off the wall she had been holding up for the last half-hour. "It's on my way home anyway."_

A red light; Haruka came to a screeching stop, free to become fully lost in her worried thoughts. _'This is great.'_ Haruka thought bitterly to herself _'First Michiru and I are having problems, and now, __**once again**__ the universe needs saving'_. But she didn't know that; Setsuna didn't know the cause for what was happening to the gate so perhaps it was natural. True the idea was a bit far-fetched, but it was comforting none-the-less. If only Haruka was that ignorant.

The streetlight flashed green, but before she could ease her car forward the flash of an abnormally long blonde pigtail flicking as it's possessor rounded the corner of the sidewalk just in front of her caught Haruka's attention. It was Usagi, walking along, blissfully unaware of the troubles looming just over her head. But then, Usagi was always the last to know. _'Ignorance is bliss.' _Haruka thought, her pale lips stretching into an affectionate smile as she watched the younger girl walk along, swaying with her animated elegance.

The bellowing horn of the car behind her was enough incentive for Haruka's foot to apply slight pressure to her gas pedal, just enough to edge the sleek red car up the road so she could pull over beside Usagi. The young girl was beckoning to her the rude scream of the other driver's car having directed her attention backward.

"Haruka-san!" She squealed, waving her arm excitedly before she hopped over to the passenger side of the convertible. Haruka couldn't help but chuckle as she watched the girl's display.

She wore a lovely sundress that was a stunning shade of lilac, white bows tied around the buns in her hair to match the little purse that hung from her shoulder to her hip, where the skirt of her dress flowed out. The fabric fluttered around her knees as white strappy heeled sandals held her shifting weight. She looked precious as always yet over the years a soft radiance had filled Usagi's face, making her appear much more womanly, though her attire and personality forever remained slightly juvenile.

"Hello Princess." Haruka offered as she shifted her car into park and leaned back comfortably in her seat, an arm curled over the steering wheel casually, as she clutched the gearshift and reclined her head back against it's rest. "Kinda late for little bunnies to be out isn't it? Wolves prowl these parts just looking for sweet rabbits to get between their jowls."

Usagi just smiled, having grown quite comfortable in Haruka's games over the years. "Like you Haruka-san?"

"You know it kitten." The older woman grinned, it's dazzle trumped only by the vibrant smile of the young blonde before her. "So where are you off to at such an hour?"

"Mamoru's apartment of course, I'm bringing him some freshly baked cookies." She stated proudly, holding up the Tupperware container she clutched almost adoringly to her chest. Haruka's face twisted ever-so-slightly with anxiety as she eyed the container and, Usagi laughed. "Don't worry, Momma and Chibiusa made them, I just watched." Haruka simpered while Usagi rolled her eyes.

"Well hop in, I'll take you the rest of the way."

"It's right up the block Haruka-san." Usagi frowned. "I'll be fine."

"I know you will, but I was heading over there anyway." Haruka shrugged, leaning across the car to push open the passenger side door for Usagi, who stepped back a bit to allow her to do it. "Besides, what kind of loyal servant would I be if I allowed my princess to strain her dainty feet with such a troublesome thing as walking?" The woman teased, her sly grin widening as Usagi scoffed while slipping into the car.

"Princess or not I'm perfectly capable of walking." The young woman stated proudly, giving brief pause to drag her teeth across her plump lower lip. "Though my feet were starting to ache a bit. I got off at the wrong stop and had to walk more then usual." She giggled sheepishly and Haruka chuckled.

"You really should pay more attention to your surroundings."

"Yeah, yeah." Usagi rolled her eyes and, again Haruka chuckled, feeling more lighthearted then she had in a long while. "So what were you going to see Mamo-chan for?" Usagi's question weighed heavy on Haruka's mind.

"I just wanted to talk to him about something, nothing special really." Haruka lied with a shrug of her shoulders, not giving it a second thought, even under the scrutiny of her princess who stared thoughtfully at her, her little head tilted cutely. Haruka smiled wistfully. "So Chibiusa's come for another visit?"

That changed the subject promptly, as Usagi gave a scoff. "Yes! I swear that kid spends more time here then she does in her own time, it's ridiculous. All she does is take up space and, eat all _my _snacks and, hog the bathroom when I need to get ready for a date with Mamo-chan and, barge in on those dates and, steal all of Mamo-chan's attention from me!" Usagi ranted as Haruka laughed jubilantly. "It's so irritating- stop laughing!"

Usagi's pouting face only made Haruka laugh a bit harder, tears forming in her sharp eyes as she pulled skillfully into a parking space outside Mamoru's building. She wiped the liquid from her eyes, grinning broadly at her princess who glared and huffed, clearly unamused. She was too cute, it was hard to believe she'd soon turn twenty.

"Forgive me Princess." Haruka simpered and Usagi's pout only deepened, her arms crossing over her chest to hug her bosom adamantly as she turned her head away. This only drew more entertained snickers from the older woman. "It's just too adorable the way you two fight like sisters. It's hard to believe she's your daughter."

"Sometimes I question that." Usagi admitted defiantly, looking back to spot that Cheshire cat grin on Haruka's handsome face.

"There's definitely no doubting it Princess." Usagi gave a small _'humph'_ as she retrieved her bowl of cookies from her lap. But there was a gentle smile on her lips as she exited Haruka's car.

"Thank you for giving me a ride Haruka-san." She said gratefully to her soldier as the much taller woman came to her side and, proceeded toward the apartment building with her, her hands tucked casually into the pockets of her loose fitted jeans.

"No problem Princess." Usagi frowned, causing Haruka to arch a curious slender brow. "What?"

"Could you stop calling me _Princess_ all the time?"

"Not a chance Princess."

Usagi was once again pouting as they entered the building and headed for the elevator. "It's so formal though, I feel like I'm degrading you." This made Haruka laugh.

"I assure you you're not degrading me kitten." Haruka smirked slyly. "Though if you'd like to, I know where Michiru keeps that whip she wore with her costume last Halloween."

"Haruka-san that's awful!" Usagi exclaimed, mortification clear on her reddened face as she used her free hand to swat at Haruka's shoulder as they boarded the elevator. Haruka laughed the whole ride up to Mamoru's floor, quite pleased by the embarrassed state she had put Usagi in.

She watched as the young woman stalked from the elevator, her pretty little face still completely crimson and, her lips fixed into an affronted pout. She was just too charming, always so child-like no matter how many years she gained. Was it any wonder her soldiers wanted so much to protect her? To shield her from any sort of unpleasantness.

An almost sad expression overtook Haruka's face as she watched Usagi fumble through her tiny white purse, no doubt searching for her key to Mamoru's apartment. She hoped desperately that whatever was happening in Setsuna's realm didn't mean trouble for her princess. To think that once again her happiness could be in jeopardy both saddened and enraged the comely blonde woman. Usagi deserved her happiness; for all her caring ways, all her devotion, all her determination to make the lives of those around her better, the young girl deserved her own little bit of joy.

"Haruka-san..." Haruka's lashes fluttered over her eyes, drawing her back to reality to peer over at Usagi who stared at her with a mixture of question and concern, her hand holding her key to the lock, but paused in turning it. "Are you alright?"

Haruka forced a casual smile. "You worry too much Princess, I'm perfectly fine." Usagi didn't look convinced so Haruka chuckled breezily and removed her black fitted leather jacket, revealing the clean white tank-top beneath that hugged her torso. "It's hot in this hallway you know." She threw her jacket over one shoulder, holding it up hooked by her index and middle finger, as she fanned herself dramatically.

Usagi giggled and finally pushed the door open. The apartment was dark, the only source of light seeping in from behind them as the two females entered. Haruka looked around the somber living room inquiringly, it looked like Mamoru wasn't home. But that didn't seem to faze Usagi. She kicked off her sandals and stepped casually through the apartment as if it were her own, feeling along the living room wall until she found a light switch to cast the darkness away.

"Mamo-chan's probably napping." She explained as Haruka closed the door quietly behind her and hung her coat on a rack beside it. "The life of a pristine young doctor, especially one as amazing as my Mamo-chan, is so tiring and stressful you know." Usagi went on, pride swelling her chest.

"Oh indeed." Haruka chuckled. "So you're not going to barge in and wake him up, right?" She asked as she began to remove her shoes. Usagi smirked evilly, moving into the kitchen area of the apartment to set the bowl of cookies down on the counter.

"Maybe not just yet."

Haruka laughed quietly, gathering up Usagi's sandals to place them neatly beside her own black loafers before she gave pause. Haruka stood up straight, staring down at the spot in front of her bare feet with a baffled expression, a tilt of her head given. There before her were Usagi's sandals, her own shoes, what Haruka imagined were Mamoru's and beside those a pair of coral peep-toe pumps. '_Whose are those?' _Haruka wondered; they looked oddly familiar.

Haruka's heart clenched with foreboding. "It _can't _be."

She rose her head slowly and stepped away from the line of shoes at the door, lured to the kitchen by the sound of Usagi rummaging through Mamoru's refrigerator. She was grumbling something about how he had no milk and how they just couldn't have her mother's cookies without some milk. But Haruka wasn't really paying attention to that.

Her eyes were drawn to the door that she knew led to Mamoru's room, navy irises staring at the slit between the door and the floor. It was dark in there, most likely because Mamoru didn't like lights in his eyes when he was trying to sleep. But Usagi wasn't exactly being very quiet and, unless he was a very heavy sleeper, it was doubtful he could sleep through her scavenging through his apartment. But then why hadn't he turned on his light and come out?

Haruka was being silly, Mamoru was probably just trying to ignore all the noise, or was just so used to it that it didn't even bother him anymore. But her heart was pounding in her chest and there was an odd ringing in her head drowning out all other noise, she didn't even realize Usagi was talking to her. But then, Usagi didn't seem to realize either that she wasn't listening.

Gingerly Haruka stepped toward the door and, her mind began to scream, she didn't want to open it. She didn't know why she didn't want to, it was just a door, a door to a bedroom where her future king slept. But she felt like she had to and, she didn't know the reason for that either. Another step she took toward the door, and another and, with each pad of her feet Haruka felt as if her chest was getting tighter and tighter, until she felt like she'd never be able to breathe again.

She was at the door, her hand was on the knob.

"Haruka-san, what are you-" She heard her princess but she didn't give pause or respond, she just turned the knob slowly and, pushed open the door, pouring the light of the living room into the bedroom.

She could see Mamoru, he was sitting rigid on the edge of the side of his bed, his black hair disheveled. He was in nothing but a pair of pale blue boxers and, in the shadowed light of the room his handsome face looked sullen, etched with fear and shame. Or so it appeared. Haruka's hand rose, easily finding the light switch on the wall at her side to bring the room into full view as she flicked the lights on.

Mamoru just stared at her, giving no greeting, asking no questions, he just watched as Haruka looked, her abysmal blue eyes taking in the entirety of the room carefully. There was nothing out of the ordinary at first glance. It was neat and tidy, save the bed which was jumbled from being slept on, the sheets and comforter pulled away from the side of the mattress Mamoru was on and gathered in a light heap on the other.

But beneath that side of the bed something caught Haruka's eye; sticking out just slightly was the fold of a white pin-striped piece of cloth, the hem of a skirt. The wailing in Haruka's head grew louder as recognition dawned and slowly, reluctantly, her eyes drew up to the heap of covers on the bed. Up they went, toward the pillow where lying upon it she could see the tips of wavy teal-colored hair...

_If I could flow like the wind I would reach you._

_If I could shine like a moon I would keep shining on you._

_I'll be anything if it can stop you from being seized with fear._

_-Moments _by Ayumi Hamasaki

* * *

><p>Well hello out there UsaHaruyuri/shoujo-ai fans! This is a fan fiction I've been sitting on for a while now, actually I started it about three or fours years ago. ;P I've worked really hard on it to try and make it the best I can. After all, Sailor Moon is my biggest fandom. I was going to wait until I finished all the chapters (right now I've got three out of maybe ten haha) but, in light of the rerelease of the Sailor Moon manga (which I'm uber excited about!) I thought I'd post this to celebrate.

After all the effort I put into it I'd greatly appreciate any feedback you guys have. Did you like the chapter? Was it suspensful enough? Too suspensful? Is my grammar awful? (I've been trying to work on that but damn it's tough! Stupid comas...) Whatever comments you might have I'd love to hear them! ...As long as you're not terribly rude about it.

The song Makoto is singing is actually by a band called Tenth Avenue North. The name is By Your Side and I recommend everyone go listen to it. It's beautiful. C:

Oh, and for those of you who may possibly be waiting for updates of my Naruto fics, I'm still working on the chapters. My writers block has been terrible but, I'm doing my best and they're half-ways done.


	2. A Mothers Heartbreak

**Chapter Two**

**A Mother's Heartbreak**

_Your heart began to be scorched, and there was a smell of it._

_It was the end of your dream, and the start of everything…_

_-Moments_ by Ayumi Hamasaki

It was cold, when did the night become so cold? Hadn't it been warm just a little while ago? Hadn't that been why her mother suggested to her that she wear the pretty new lilac dress she had bought her? Usagi felt herself shaking in the chill, tiny bumps having formed all over her arms and bare legs. Her limbs trembled, and her feet felt like blocks of ice that carried her as they slid over the pavement. She stared at them, wondering where her sandals had gone. Had she misplaced them?

"Oh... that's right..." She whispered into the summer wind that lifted her pigtails and ruffled her bangs. "They're at Ma-Mam..." She choked on the name, tears blurring her vision of the street in front of her, until the cars were nothing but zooming blurs of light and color.

"_Mamo-chan never has any proper food in his house anymore." Usagi sighed as she slammed the refrigerator door closed. "He's so busy at the hospital that he never has time to go shopping for himself." She went on, pulling the cover off of her mother's Tupperware bowl and leaning over to let the scent of those sweet, sweet cookies waft into her nostrils. _

"_So I—being the wonderful girlfriend that I am—try to go shopping for him. But Mamo-chan scolds me when I do; he says I buy too many sweets and not enough _real food_." Usagi pouted before plucking a cookie from the bowl and shoving it into her mouth which made her smile broadly as she chewed. "Ishn't dat meen 'Arooka-san?" Usagi turned with a mouthful of cookie to realize that Haruka wasn't even paying attention to her._

_She swallowed. "Haruka-san what are you doing?" The young blonde questioned as her eyebrows knitted together. But the other female just kept right on ignoring her. Usagi watched as Haruka rudely opened the door to Mamoru's bedroom without knocking and frowned. "Haruka-san you're going to wake up Mamo-chan!"_

_She stalked over, confused but, most of all annoyed by her tall blonde soldier's behavior. It wasn't like Haruka to completely disregard her presence or—for that matter—be so inconsiderate. At least not without good reason and, Usagi couldn't seem to see one. She paused beside the woman who was looking around Mamoru's room as if searching for something and, instinctively Usagi began to look around as well._

_She didn't get very far. "Hi Mamo-chan!" She called to her beloved, smiling big and giving an enthusiastic wave of her hand. "Don't mind Haruka-san, I think she's having an episode." Usagi giggled and, much to her surprise, Mamoru only managed a weak smile. His eyes fell from hers to the floor between his legs almost as soon as they had met._

_Once again Usagi was baffled, and it showed upon that expressive face of hers as she watched her boyfriend. It wasn't like Mamoru to be so glum in her presence. _

"_What's the mat- Haruka-san what are you doing?" She called to her friend, just noticing in that moment that the handsome blonde soldier was no longer by her side; Haruka was walking slowly but purposefully toward Mamoru's bed._

_Usagi looked from the woman back toward Mamoru who was just sitting there on his bed staring down at his floor. He had yet to say anything to her or, even to Haruka, who was suddenly walking through his room as if she owned the place. What was going on? Why wouldn't he look at her? Those bright blue eyes shifted back to Haruka who had stopped on the other side of Mamoru's bed to stare down at the gathering of covers there._

"_Haruka-san what is all of this about?" She demanded, her aggravation clear in her usually sweet voice. But again it was like the other female was in her own little world, like she couldn't even hear Usagi._

_So the young woman was left to watch as Haruka reached out a hand toward Mamoru's blue comforter, her curiosity peaked, her breath hitching as she watched her friend's hand pause in midair. Usagi's glance shifted to the woman's face, shocked to find that it's usual serenity was replaced with an expression of anxiety. Her eyes went back to Haruka's hand as it began to move again, staring as each slender digit that extended from it curled against the end of the comforter and dragged it down. But instead of giving her any sense of clarity the sight that awaited her under that blanket just confused Usagi more._

"_Michiru-san?" She blinked; once, twice, again and, again as her bewilderment mounted higher and higher. _

_Michiru lie there, the comforter just beneath her chin, her pretty face as calm and cool as it always was as she looked at Usagi, then up at Haruka. Usagi watched the exchange between the two women, not completely understanding. It was as if Haruka was seeing Michiru for the very first time and, as if Michiru was staring right past her long time lover rebelliously. _

_Usagi looked at Mamoru, staring hard as the man seemed to curl into himself, his eyes tightly shut and his hands clasped between his spread knees. It was then that she began to feel it, a strange feeling the young woman could not recall ever having. A feeling of... emptiness. It was so tiny, there in the pit of her stomach, but the more she peered at Mamoru and, the longer he went without speaking, without peering back, the more that tiny emptiness began to expand._

"_What's going on?" Usagi spoke, surprised to hear herself laugh as she looked from Mamoru, who kept his eyes tightly shut, to Michiru who's eyes were locked fixedly with Haruka's and back again. "Mamo-chan what's going on?" Her laugh strayed and, Mamoru opened his eyes, but still he didn't look her way._

"_Yes Mamo-chan..." It was Haruka who spoke this time, her voice so icy it made Usagi's heart tremble. "What _is_ going on?" She asked the question without ever taking her eyes off of Michiru, who stared in turn defiantly. She'd asked the question but judging by her tone it sounded as if Haruka knew exactly what was going on. _

_Usagi wished she would tell her. "Mamo-chan..." She took a step into the room toward Mamoru, toward her love, toward her future husband. But she could go no further, she couldn't bare to go near him and, steadily the emptiness grew toward her heart which pounded on her ribcage. "Mamo-Mamo-chan tell me what's going on."_

_Her voice was strained, she could hear it shaking and she wanted desperately to calm herself, to retreat back to that happy state she had been in just a few moments earlier, when everything had made sense. When it had all been all right. But she couldn't, something wouldn't let her; there was something in that room and it made Usagi feel like she could never find happiness, not ever again. What was it? What was it in that room that made Usagi feel like she was being crushed under it's weight?_

'Betrayal...'_ The word danced through her mind and Usagi jerked her head to banish it away._

"_I'll believe what you tell me." She whispered to him and, Mamoru raised his head just slightly. "Whatever you tell me I'll believe just-" Usagi's words broke as she choked back a sob, forced to watch from the corner of her eye as Michiru casually sat up, letting the comforter fall to her waist and expose her naked breasts to the air. Haruka's eyes shut tightly and she turned her head away."Just... tell me Mamo-chan." Usagi's lips quivered, her shaking hands clasping and rising toward her chest as if in prayer, as she looked upon her dearest, tears streaming from her luminescent eyes._

"_Usagi I-" Mamoru began to speak, but a devastated sob that sounded from Usagi's lips caused the man to stop and turn his wide eyes toward her, not in surprise, but in realization of his mistake._

_Never... Never since they had been together had Mamoru ever called Usagi, Usagi. It was just a name, just her name, but to the young woman it was so much more. It was a revelation; a sign that nothing was the same and nothing would be the same ever again. It was goodbye. _

_It was that moment that the emptiness overtook her, leaving her body hallow. As if that one utterance of her name had drawn her very soul from her. Mamoru stood and extended his hand to her, calling out _"Usako!" _but by then it was too late. Usagi already had her back on him. With a flick of those massive pigtails the young woman fled Mamoru's apartment, forgetting her bag and, over-passing her shoes as she ran faster then she had ever run in her life from that room... from that feeling... from the truth..._

_**Beep!**_ Her trembling body jolted with renewed life, her head whipping around to send her hair flying through the wind as Usagi hopped backwards away from a truck that had come to a screeching halt beside her. She turned her head this way and that, the adrenaline coursing through her veins making her legs shake so hard she wobbled where she stood in the middle of the street.

"Get out of the road you crazy bitch!" The driver of the truck hollered at her as Usagi staggered toward the sidewalk. She tripped over the curb and, not even trying to catch herself, crumbled to her knees on the concrete.

Her hands pushed upon the ground in front of her, her weight leaning toward them as she hung her head to let her long pigtails pool at either side of her, panting desperately to bring precious air into her lungs. But it was no use, the harder Usagi gasped the tighter her chest constricted, crushing down upon her lungs and heart. She felt as if her ribs were going to brake, as if she were going to die there on the sidewalk.

_'Mamo-chan, why Mamo-chan?'_ Hot tears stained the gray concrete dark like raindrops, distorting Usagi's vision of that heart-shaped ring on her finger. But it didn't matter, she could no longer see what was in front of her. All the young beauty could see was the image of Michiru in Mamoru's bed and, his guilt-ridden demeanor. _'How could you?'_

"How could you?" She whimpered pathetically to the ground as she craned toward it.

Her arms folded to bring her face down, her forehead pressing to the concrete that was soaked in her ocean of sorrow, prostrating herself to the night. There she cried, right there on the edge of the sidewalk. Her arms came in to form around her, hugging desperately at her torso which quavered violently with the force of her wails of anguish.

This wasn't happening, it couldn't be. Mamoru would never do something so utterly horrible to her, would never jeopardize their future together, the future of their world of...

_'Chibiusa...'_ Usagi's head popped up from the ground, exposing her blotchy tear-stained face to the air, her glazed eyes wide with fear. "Chibiusa!"

Searching deep within, Usagi found the strength to force her quaking body up from the ground, teetering about as she fought desperately to stiffen her legs that had turned to jelly in her despair. She rocked forward, tripped, but caught herself before—once again—she began to run. Her feet pounding on the hard unwavering ground Usagi ran with everything in her, everything she could muster toward her home... toward her daughter.

_'Please, please... not again.' _Usagi's mind murmured frantically. "Don't take her from me!" She called into the newly warmed night air, pushing herself further as she ran even faster.

Her lungs were screaming for oxygen by the time Usagi skidded through the gate in front of her house, but the young woman hardly noticed as she threw herself through the door. It hit the wall with a thunderous _**bang **_and ominous **_crack _**that brought her mother jolting from the kitchen and, she heard Shingo give a yell of fright from the living room.

"Usagi!" Her mother shouted, her eyes livid with fearful surprise. "What the-"

But Usagi had no time for that. By the time her mother was coming down the hall Usagi had already mounted the stairs two at a time and, was flying through the upstairs hallway toward the door to Chibiusa's bedroom.

"Usagi-chan!" A disgruntled Luna wailed, forgetting herself as the desperate blonde girl nearly trampled her to death as she ran through the hallway.

But even Luna's well-being was not something Usagi could be bothered with; she had to get to Chibiusa, she had to get to the attic. She didn't know how she knew the little girl would be in there, mothers intuition perhaps, but Usagi knew that's where she would find her... if she was still there.

She wrenched open the door to the furnished attic and headed up the stairs at full speed, catching her foot at the very bottom. Damn her clumsiness! Her knee smashed against the edge of a stair, stabbing her body with a sharp immobilizing pain but, Usagi would not be stopped. Determined to get up those stairs—to get to Chibiusa—she crawled as fast as she could, dragging herself upward with surprising speed until she was sliding over the landing.

"Chibiusa!" She cried out, her heart swelling with joy as she looked to her side and saw the young girl kneeling on her bed facing her window, as she so often liked to do. She stared at the back of those pink tresses that had grown longer over the years and, Usagi's heart once again felt light as air. It was all going to be okay.

"Usagi-chan..." Chibiusa's voice quivered and it's terrorized tone made Usagi's heart constrict. "Usagi-chan... W-what's going-" The young girl couldn't finish, she turned her head around to expose her cherub face, her magenta eyes huge and glazed with tears.

Usagi gave out a scream of such deep anguish she felt as if the very gravity of the sound could shatter the universe. Chibiusa lifted her hands, which had turned to nothing but a familiar shimmering mist Usagi could stare straight through.

"Usagi what-" Luna had come up the stairs behind her but, Usagi gave the cat no notice, no time to ask questions. There was no time; in that moment, time was the enemy.

"No!" She cried and once again she forced herself off of her knees and threw her body forward toward the bed, toward Chibiusa who turned to face her, reaching out for her in dread. Luna watched in horror as Usagi fell to the floor in front of the young girl and groveled toward her, reaching out for her hand, heartbroken as her digits passed right through Chibiusa's palm.

"No it can't be!" Usagi choked on sobs as Chibiusa began to cry more hysterically. The young woman lifted herself onto her knees, ignoring the horrible pain as she threw her arms around her daughter's torso and pulled her in tightly against her chest, burying her face in the top of those beautiful strawberry scented strands. "Please no, please!" Usagi wailed as Chibiusa tried, in vein, to cling to her as more and more of her body began to fade from existence.

"I'm going to have her, I am!" Usagi threw her head back and howled to time itself, tears streaming down the sides of her face. "You can't take her! I-I'm going to-I'm going to..." But by then Usagi could not find it in herself to form words. She felt it, she felt Chibiusa slipping away from her, flowing right through her arms like water, impossible to hold onto.

"Mamma..." She heard the little girl call but the sound was so far away and, with a final tragic tear-strangled scream, Usagi was left hugging nothing but a thin blue nightgown against her chest.

She crumbled down on the bed, pressing her face hard into the mattress to sob into the quilt that lay strewn across it. Her arms stretched out, that little nightgown tangled in one as she reached out desperately, trying to grab for her beloved bubblegum haired clone. But her fingers only found that thick quilt. This wasn't happening, not again.

"Chibiusa." She whispered into the mattress. "_Chibiusa!"_ Usagi lifted her head and shrieked at the sliver of moon that hovered outside the window before her, casting her in it's cold lonely light.

"Usagi!" Her mother gasped where she stood at the top of the stairs beside a stone-shocked Luna, rushing over to the young blonde and falling to her knees beside her. "Usagi, Honey, what's the matter?" Her mother inquired soothingly, worry etched all over her aging face and, laced in every syllable of her voice.

She put a hand to Usagi's back, rubbing it consolingly as it heaved with the force of her cries. The young woman turned to her mother, pressing in toward her to bury her face into the crook of her neck. Ikuko held onto her daughter fiercely, trying so hard to soothe her but, Usagi was inconsolable.

"Mom, oh Mom!" Usagi cried, clinging desperately to her mother who held onto her so securely. "Chibiusa, she-she's gone Mamma!" The young woman choked.

"Usagi, Sweetheart..." She cooed gently, turning her head to kiss the top of Usagi's, pushing her back just enough to gaze upon her reddened face that tears flowed endlessly over. "Who is Chibiusa?"

Usagi whimpered and, her head lulled as exhaustion and sorrow washed over her body. She fell limply against her mother, not hearing her concerned calls as Ikuko lay her daughter to the floor. All Usagi's mind could hear was Chibiusa crying out for her over and over again and, it kept the tears falling from her eyes even as she lay there unconscious on the floor of the attic. She could no longer reach her, she would never hold her again.

_'Chibiusa...'_

* * *

><p>"That stupid son of a bitch!" Makoto shouted as she stormed around the stone walkway just outside the shrine. "I'll kill him, I'll fucking <em>kill him<em>!" The girl was absolutely livid and for once not one of the others was trying to convince her to calm down, even as she released a slew of curse words right on sacred ground. "I'll rip off his God damn testicles and force-feed them to him that stupid, stupid, _stupid_ mother fucker!"

She fumed and stomped, taking out her frustration on the hard stone ground, unable to deal with the revelation of that day. The other girls were speechless—not one having spoken a word as they sat on Rei's porch—after Setsuna had told them Haruka's story from the previous night. Haruka had just stood there, her eyes downcast to the ground in front as if in shame, though her face was as stony as the ground it angled toward.

_How could it be? _The question was on everyone's mind. It couldn't be true, it just didn't make any sense. But disbelief and denial were short lived The moment the small group of girls laid eyes upon Haruka, they knew it was true. Mamoru and Michiru had betrayed them all, but most of all, had betrayed Usagi.

"And that little slut!" Makoto chimed on, her fury blinding. "I never liked her, damn stuck up bitch! Always thought she was better then us, better then Usagi_; _I'll-"

"Makoto." The furious brunette turned her heated green gaze on Ami, whose voice was soft as always yet held shocking command. "Please be quiet." She finished, never looking back at Makoto, her sapphire eyes locked upon Haruka who sat secluded at the very end of the porch.

Though the older woman never spoke, though her stoic expression never wavered, Ami had spotted the sad way her eyes had fallen shut when Makoto mentioned Michiru.

Makoto followed Ami's gaze to the side, understanding dawning with one look at Haruka, and her long winded rant finally ended. "Sorry." She mumbled, slightly begrudgingly but, no one could blame her. They were all thinking the same exact thing she had been screaming... as usual.

"Is this why..." Rei spoke, her voice so calm and accepting, it surprised even her. "Is this why the gate is fading?"

"The gate has completely gone." Setsuna revealed from her place leaned against one of the many beams that held the porch's roof up. "And I suspect this is _exactly_ why."

Simultaneously every heart in the group was weighed down by a debilitating sorrow. Defeat and anxiety washed over their shoulders and it showed in the way Ami curled her knees to her chest and hugged them

And in the way Minako held a downtrodden Artemis closer to her stomach

And in the way Rei placed an elbow on a crossed knee and held her forehead in her palm

And in the way Makoto plopped straight to the ground with something like a whimper sounding from her lips.

"How can it be?" Minako whispered, sadness straining her voice.

"The future is never truly a set path." Setsuna answered simply.

"Ours was supposed to be." Rei sighed.

"Have you spoken to Usagi-chan?" Artemis inquired, his golden eyes cast up toward Setsuna, who shook her head.

"I went to call on her, but her mother wouldn't allow me to see her." She gave pause and her arms seemed to fold tighter around herself. "She said Usagi-san didn't want to see anybody, she was too distraught over the loss of who her mother assumed was a friend... _'someone named Chibiusa'_ she said."

Rei's head popped up, her dark eyes wide. "Chibiusa's gone?"

"Oh God." Minako gave a little sob, drawing Artemis up to bury her face in his fury head as her shoulders shook.

"Of course." Ami nodded tragically. "No gate... no future... no Chibiusa."

Makoto groaned with distraught and fell backwards, sprawling out unceremoniously on the ground. "Those bastards."

"Ssh, Minako, it'll be okay." Artemis tried to comfort the girl, his voice course with strain due to her crushing hold upon him.

"H-how will it be o-okay?" She hiccuped, lifting her head to expose her tear-streaked visage as Rei placed an understanding hand on her shoulder. "How c-can this e-ever be ok-ay?"

"We'll make it okay." Minako and the other girls turned their head, all staring toward the picturesque form of Haruka. She sat at the very edge of the porch, her feet pressed firmly to the ground, her arms draped on her knees so that her hands hung between them. She sat slouched, her proud posture forgotten, as she stared off into the distance at something the other girls couldn't see.

"We always find a way." She went on quietly. "Everything will be fine." She nodded as she finished in a near whisper that seemed more for her benefit then the benefit of the other soldiers. "Everything will be fine..."

Minako forced a sad little smile and Makoto sat up, nodding softly to herself. "Damn right it will be." She stated, though there was a falter in her usual confidence.

"Maybe this is all supposed to happen." Ami reasoned optimistically as the mood around the shrine began to lighten ever so slightly. "Maybe we were meant to set destiny right again, like when we faced Nehelania."

Artemis nodded thoughtfully as Minako stroked his twitching ears. "Yes, perhaps this is indeed just another twist in the fate of you soldiers' and your princess."

"It's entirely possible." Setsuna dragged her teeth gently over her lower lip, trying to banish the troubled expression of disbelief she could feel her features twisting into.

A gentle gust of wind brought Rei's observation away from Setsuna, guiding her eyes to the rustling leaves of the trees that danced in the breeze. The young woman sat up slowly, brushing her dark hair from her eyes that shifted down the shrine's long wide stone path. She felt something stir in the pit of her stomach.

"What is it Rei-chan?" Ami questioned, having noticed Rei's suddenly vacant stare.

"Someone's-" But she drew her words back into her mouth with a purse of her lips as the figure of Haruka disrupted her gaze toward the sky framed by the open passage at the top of the stone steps.

The elegant woman took long dedicated strides, moving more quickly then was typical for the very casual natured girl. The other soldiers watched their comrade curiously, each wondering what she was up to. All except Rei, who bore a hard stare of understanding. Midway down the walkway Haruka came to a sudden stop when the top of a head appeared on the skyline, bouncy teal tresses blowing in the wind.

_If I could flow like the wind I would reach you._

_If I could shine like a moon I would keep shining on you._

_I'll be anything if it can stop you from being seized with fear._

_-Moments _by Ayumi Hamasaki

* * *

><p>Hurrah chapter two! I've decided that I will upload a chapter every month. Sorry for making you guys wait that long but, I need the time to write the other chapters so I can keep my posting consistent.<p>

This chapter is really angsty I know, but it's the most honest portrayal I could come up with I think. Plus it'll prepare you for all the drama that's about to come. lol I'll be honest, I wept a little while writing it.

**Review please!**


	3. A Mutual Understanding

**Chapter Three**

**A Mutual Understanding**

_Your heart began to be scorched, and there was a smell of it._

_It was the end of your dream, and the start of everything…_

_-Moments_ by Ayumi Hamasaki

Makoto's eyes went wide, her expression twisting with anger while the rest of the girls all bore similar looks of affront and wonder, all except Rei who stared off pointedly to the side. The raven haired beauty did not look Michiru's way, but the rest of them could not take their eyes off the brazen girl who strolled so easily down that stone path. Her demeanor was proud, her stance unwavering, unapologetic and, it was infuriating. Yet more-so, it was utterly baffling. What was she doing there?

"Hello Haruka." Michiru offered in a perfectly friendly tone as she stopped just in front of her, undeterred by the other woman's firm expression.

"Whore." Makoto uttered bluntly from the background, her words dripping venom and her eyes shooting emerald daggers.

"Mako-chan..." Ami began breathlessly, her sad blue eyes locked upon her fellow water wielding soldier, whom she had once admired so greatly.

"Shut up Ami-chan." Ami didn't flinch, she knew Makoto didn't mean to be so cold. She was just so upset, they all were.

Michiru's eyes flicked briefly from Haruka, locking on a rigid Makoto, who's fists were clenched so tightly it was a wonder blood wasn't dripping from her palms. The beautiful woman gave only a careless smirk and a flip of her wavy locks from her shoulder. She disregarded the brunette entirely and turned back to Haruka.

Makoto sprung as did the other girls. Minako knocked a squealing Artemis from her lap as she extended herself off the porch and latched onto Makoto's right arm, hanging in midair with only the porch and her friend to hold her up. Ami took hold of the girl's left, having dived right off the porch, she took a firm stance beside Makoto. Rei held the grumbling, struggling girl around the middle of her torso and, leaned all her body weight backward to prevent the soldier—whose temper was just as erratic as the thunder she commanded—from moving forward with her desire to rip off Michiru's head.

"Let me go!" She demanded gruffly but the other soldiers' holds did not relinquish and, in fact strengthened as she squirmed harder. "I'll kill the little tramp, it's all her fault!" Makoto tried to reason.

"Mako-chan please stop." Minako whimpered.

"She's not worth it." Rei agreed, glaring over Makoto's shoulder at Michiru, who seemed vaguely amused with the little display.

"Like hell she isn't!" Makoto shouted as she lunged again and forced Ami and Rei two steps forward while dragging Minako from the porch. "Chibiusa's gone because of you! You and that prick; are you proud? Huh? You not only destroyed lives, you took one too!"

Makoto continued to yell, trying to get a rise out of Michiru, but the woman was strangely unmoved. There had always been a certain degree of coldness to Michiru, Haruka had known that well. But always, always there had been warmth in her blue eyes. Always they had been so welcoming. But, as Haruka stood there and stared into those depths they were as chilly as the deep sea she ruled. Where had the light gone? How long had it been missing? Why hadn't Haruka noticed it sooner?

Once again all of those questions ran through her mind, just as they had that night she had found her lover wrapped in the covers of Mamoru's bed. Was this really the woman she had loved for so many years, had devoted herself to so loyally? Had once betrayed her princess just to be with?

"What do you want Michiru?" She questioned, completely disregarding the fuss going on behind her.

Michiru arched a slender brow. "Now what kind of greeting is that?"

"The only one I can offer you." Haruka answered coldly.

"Now Haruka, are these dramatics really necessary?" She sighed exasperatedly, mockingly and Haruka tensed. "I expected this front the children," She gave a nod toward the other girls which prompted a new slew of shouted insults from Makoto. "But not from you."

"And what exactly did you expect from me Michiru?"

The woman puckered her lips agitatedly. "A bit of understanding. Honestly Haruka, you had to see this coming; we've been growing apart for a while now." It was then that the blonde looked away from the woman she had once cherished so dearly, denying the statement though aware of it's truth. "You knew there was someone else, I could see that when you looked at me."

"But Mamoru?" Haruka shook her head, turning back to Michiru, unable to keep the disappointment from her voice and her saddened face. "How could you Michiru?"

She bowed her head and Haruka's heart leapt with renewed hope. She prayed, inwardly begged that the female would finally show her a glimpse of remorse, a peak of humanity.

But her head rose bearing such a breezy and condescending grin that Haruka's heart shattered before her past-lover even spoke. "I always did like popular men."

"Yes, I remember." Haruka nodded, that frozen look back on her beautiful face. "Leave Michiru."

Haruka turned her back on the woman, feeling hallow, like she would fall to pieces with even the most minor impact. When she turned her eyes fell upon the other girls, her head tilting to one side as she observed the curious bunch. The others had somehow forced Makoto back to the ground and were all working tirelessly to keep her there. Though the overzealous girl had long since ceased in fighting them. They didn't want to take any chances apparently.

Rei was on top of Makoto's back, her arms having coiled around the other girls neck loosely but still foreboding, as if threatening to strangle her if she continued her tirade. Ami straddled the back of the girl's thighs, her palms pushing down hard on her slenderly muscled calves assumedly to keep her from kicking. Minako controlled her hands, taking a hard grasp upon Makoto's wrists and forcing them to the ground, while Artemis sat atop her disheveled brown locks, craning his neck over to stare into her annoyed green eyes offering words of comfort. Setsuna was still standing on the porch, she had never moved from it. She stayed glued to her pillar, half hidden behind it as she left her back to the group, her arms crossed and her head bowed. She was completely unwilling to associate herself with the antics or the drama. That was so like her.

The scene was positively comical but, Hatuka could find no humor inside herself. There was absolutely nothing left inside her, and she simply stared with indifference for a brief moment before Michiru called her attention back.

"I thought you wanted to know why I came here."

Haruka turned first her head and then her entire body as Michiru reached into her powder blue colored jacket. What she withdrew and held out to Haruka, gave the blonde woman pause, confusion flashing in her eyes as she stared at it.

"I won't be needing this anymore."

Haruka took the object and held it close to her, rolling it experimentally in her palm, unable to believe or perhaps accept what it was. It was Michiru's transformation pen.

"So this isn't just goodbye to our relationship then?" Haruka's fingers curled tightly over the pen, squeezing it firmly in her hand. Her cool and collected voice gave no indication of the hurt and rage boiling in her veins.

"Our mission was to guard our world from outside threats, once there were no more we turned to protecting our princess to ensure the future fate had promised us." Michiru's nonchalant tone of voice crawled beneath Haruka's skin uncomfortably. "But what's a princess without her prince? Now that I have him, there's no need to protect-"

The sound that resonated across the shrine was in reality soft but, it's boom vibrated through the minds of the girls. They all went quiet, silently gaping with saucer eyes and parted lips—even Setsuna turned her head to stare in disbelief—but none were as shocked as Michiru. A hand cupped her swiftly reddening cheek as she turned her head back in Haruka's direction slowly, to glare hatefully at the woman. She had slapped her.

"_Leave _Michiru." Her voice shook with rage as Haruka drew her trembling hand back. Even she couldn't believe that she had struck Michiru, never had she dreamed that she ever would, but she had. It was in that moment that it truly dawned upon her; her relationship was over.

Before then, she had been walking around in a haze, ever since she had wondered out of Mamoru's apartment shortly after Usagi without saying a word. She had been lost in what felt like it was just a very real, very bad dream. But the disdain Michiru directed at her with those beautiful sea foam eyes was more clear to Haruka then anything. An agonizing sense of reality washed over the woman, as the girl she had once believed to be her soul-mate turned her back on her with a hiss of foul language Haruka had never heard Michiru use.

She stalked off, back up the stone pathway and every step she took, every click of those heels stabbed into Haruka's broken heart, deeper and deeper. She wasn't sure how long she stood there watching Michiru's retreat, only that when she felt Setsuna come up beside her and place a hand upon her shoulder, Michiru's figure was gone. Haruka's head turned slightly, her eyes staring blankly into the dark, stoic face of her friend, as Setsuna's other hand formed over Haruka's which was angled in front of her. Setsuna's slender fingers slid against Haruka's, easing the stiff digits loose around the pen they held to pull it delicately from her grasp. Haruka's stomach turned as she felt the metal, warmed by her hand, leave the touch of her skin.

She felt Setsuna squeeze her shoulder and, Haruka's limb jerked to bounce off the touch as she turned her head away. "I'm fine." Setsuna didn't argue or question, not even when Haruka began to swiftly make her own exit. When Makoto and the other girls—having finally gotten off the ground—moved forward to chase her, Setsuna extended a single arm to stop them.

"Leave her be." She said quietly, withdrawing her arm to tuck the transformation pen securely into the pocket of her beige slacks.

"She shouldn't be alone." Minako argued and Ami nodded in agreement.

"Yes, she needs somebody..."

"What she needs..." Setsuna began as she turned and headed back for the porch and her pillar where she could think. "Is somebody who understands." She paused to look back at the other girls. "Do any of you truly know her pain?"

The other girls withdrew their arguments in deject, following Setsuna back to the porch. All but Makoto who stood and watched Haruka's blonde mane disappear down the steps with an indescribable ache in her heart. The source of which, she could not pinpoint.

* * *

><p>Birds chirped their pretty songs from their perches in the tree just outside the window, their merriment making the forlorn blonde feel cold inside. How could they find such cheer in a world darkened by the loss of one of its brightest stars? Usagi didn't understand it and, if she could have managed to feel anything but sorrow as she lay there upon her daughter's bed, clutching her nightgown tightly to her chest, it would have angered her. But much as she wanted to rage at those stupid birds, at that bright sunlight that mocked her with it's radiant warmth, Usagi couldn't even manage to get out of that bed.<p>

Once she had woken up to find that the events of the previous night hadn't all just been one terrible nightmare, Usagi's day had been spent sobbing and shaking. She had barricaded herself in that attic bedroom, refusing to come down for breakfast, lunch or even the pie her mother had baked to try to lure her from that room and, in turn her depression. But even the young woman's intense love for everything sweet wasn't enough to offer her any sort of comfort. Usagi didn't want pie or cookies or cupcakes. She would have vowed to never consume another grain of sugar if it would make things go back to normal. If such a miniscule sacrifice would have given her the future that was supposed to have been hers. If it would have brought Chibiusa back.

"Are you sure you don't want something to eat Usagi-chan?" Luna's voice was gentle as she posed the question, seated upon the bed behind Usagi, close to her head. "I could sneak you something from the kitchen. You wouldn't even have to get out of bed."

"I'm not hungry." Usagi mumbled in a voice hoarse from crying.

Her cheeks were red, her eyelids raw and, her limbs stiff from being curled up in one position for so long but, Usagi didn't care. She could feel hunger gnawing at her stomach, but felt like if she tried to eat she would vomit. She didn't want food, she didn't want to move, all she wanted was to lay there in misery and mourn the loss of everything she had once cherished. Everything that had been promised to her and then cruelly wrenched away just when it was within her grasp.

"Usagi-chan..." Luna began slowly, carefully. "Wouldn't it be better to get up and try to find a way to fix things?" Luna reflected, nudging the back of one of Usagi's buns with her nose. "Nothing will get solved with you just laying here. We need to find a way to make things right."

Usagi's eyes closed tightly and, she shifted her head to press her face into the pillow. "Go away Luna." She sighed, her voice muffled by the fabric.

"But Usagi-chan-"

"Go away!" She shouted. She felt the feline stir on the bed before, what seemed like reluctantly, she jumped from it.

She felt guilty for yelling at Luna, but the feline just didn't understand, no one did. The pain she felt was unlike anything she had ever experienced. The emptiness and the hopelessness. She didn't know how to deal with it, she didn't know what she could do to fix it. It just wasn't the same as it had been before...

Usagi heard the door to the attic creak open and assumed that Luna had left. But the soft thud of feet she heard ascending the stairs told instead of yet someone else coming to bother her. It was probably her mother.

Usagi groaned into her pillow. "Go away." But the footsteps didn't cease.

Her mother continued up the stairs until she was in the room but, Usagi ignored her, refusing to turn over and acknowledge that she was even there. She hoped her mother would get the hint but, instead of going back the way she came, she moved forward until Usagi felt the other side of the bed cave beneath the weight of another person. Anger ignited in the pit of her hallowed stomach. Why couldn't they just leave her alone?

"Why don't you understand?" She screamed, her throat scratching with the effort as she uncurled her form and whipped around on the bed to send her messy pigtails flying. But Usagi's words tripped on her tongue and she swallowed them back; it wasn't her mother sitting on the bed with her. "Haruka-san." She breathed more calmly, laying her head back to the pillow as the other woman stared at her.

She nodded a greeting but didn't say anything to Usagi, she simply swung her legs onto the bed and lay down comfortably on her back beside her princess. Usagi watched the other woman in wonder, staring quietly as she lay there with her hands casually clasped over her stomach, her sharp dark blue eyes staring at the ceiling. _'Why is she here?'_ Usagi wondered, and it wasn't until Haruka turned her head to cast that deep navy gaze Usagi's way that the young girl realized it; Haruka understood at least some of her pain because she felt it too.

Haruka looked right into Usagi's eyes and the young woman felt something inside her stir, felt emotion begin to rush over her again. She felt like she was drowning in it, she had to let it out before it swept her into it's depths and suffocated her.

"She's gone." She whispered in a voice that trembled pathetically and Haruka only nodded. She didn't look upon her harshly for being weak, or tell her to get up and do something about it.

"I know." Was all she said and though her expression was even, there was a softness in her eyes that made Usagi want to latch onto her.

She did. "It's not like it was before." She said as her hands curled up between them so that both her arms could wrap desperately around one of Haruka's. "I-It's not- There's noth-nothing to fight." Usagi went on, her voice breaking and renewed tears streaking white streams down her rosy cheeks. "There's no-no way to g-get her back. No-no easy fix. No b-bad guy to-to defeat to make it better!" She hiccuped and dropped her head onto Haruka's shoulder, prompting the handsome blonde soldier to extend a hand and place it soothingly to the back of Usagi's head. "I-I don't know wha-what to do!" Usagi cried out and Haruka's fingers stroked gently against her hair.

"You don't need to do anything right now." Haruka said quietly and Usagi clung harder to her in response, pressing her face toward the crook of the other female's neck as her body quaked with her cries. "We'll find a way to fix it later; for now you can just cry if you need to Princess."

_'Thank you Haruka-san.'_ The words of gratitude flashed through her mind but, Usagi could not form them. Once the tears had started again she couldn't find the strength or even the will to stop them as the sun set, disappearing under the windowsill beside the bed.

* * *

><p>An uncharacteristic darkness had settled over the little shrine the Sailor Soldiers had come to treat as their headquarters. It was where problems were analyzed, where strategies were discussed and, where decisions were made. But that night it was little more then an intricate wooden house that encased the girls in it's lonely corridors. They were together but, in such closeness felt a wide-spread distance. They'd lost three comrades, they were missing two and, without the wholeness of their group to complete them the remaining soldiers could feel their team fracturing.<p>

Makoto sat in the middle of Rei's bed, lost in the booming comfort of her headphones, her back turned on the other girls as she held her knees up under her chin. Rei had sprawled herself onto the floor to stare blankly at her ceiling, the fan of her long black tresses acting as a pillow for Minako who lay beside her. She occupied one hand stroking Artemis' head as he lay curled up on her stomach but, the other lay at her side, her pinky curled soothingly around Rei's.

Ami looked at the two girls as they stared distantly at the same spot on Rei's ceiling then, at Makoto as she bobbed her head and sang along silently to whatever song was playing from her Ipod. She'd been standing in the same spot by Rei's door since they'd entered the room and, was only just starting to feel the tingling pain in her feet begging her to sit down. But, Ami didn't know where to sit. Rei and Minako had each other, Makoto had her music but, Ami could find no comfort awaiting her in the books she so loved to read.

She padded slowly from the room and, none of the other girls seemed to notice as she slid the door shut behind her, welcoming the cool breeze that lifted her short blue locks. The night was quiet, with only the light sounds of crickets to break through the darkness. Her bare feet padded on the porch's wooden floor as Ami walked the perimeter of the shrine, letting the painful knot in her stomach carry her forward.

She reached the front of the shrine and, looked out toward where she had known she'd find Setsuna; seated at the very top of the stone stairs that led to the shrine and, staring at the sky where the moon should have been. Even just looking at the back of her head Ami knew the woman was deep in thought, Setsuna always was and, she was reluctant to disturb her. But her bare feet led her forward across the stone path until she was standing behind the other female. Ami watched the back of Setsuna's head, the way her long hair flowed down her back and swayed in the breeze.

"The sky looks lonely without the moon." Setsuna's voice lifted into the night and became the air that surrounded them. Ami's eyes rose toward the stars that gleamed defiantly through the masking lights of Tokyo.

"Even with the stars to keep it company." Ami confirmed and she knew Setsuna was smiling gently.

She moved to sit beside the woman and, tilted her head just so to cast her gaze through her bangs. She found Setsuna still staring toward the sky. Ami had always sensed an ever-existing sadness eminating from the woman. Her eyes, always searching for knowledge and truth, could never have overlooked the glint of sadness that always shone in Setsuna's eyes. So of course Ami had seen the way it had evaporated whenever Chibiusa came around.

The two had been close, closer then perhaps anyone could really understand. For Setsuna—the Sailor Soldier destined for a life of solitude and loneliness—Chibiusa had been the first ray of light to shine into her world. For a Soldier, for a girl who had nothing, that first loving glow meant everything. Ami understood that, Ami could see that and so, though Setsuna's stand-offish nature might never show it, Ami knew the woman was in pain.

She lifted a hand and draped it delicately over Setsuna's shoulders. Her shawl of comfort offered, Ami kept her eyes cast toward the vast and lonely sky. She felt Setsuna's head come to rest on her shoulder and, though she made no sound, Ami could feel Setsuna's sorrowed tears drifting in the nighttime breeze that surrounded them.

* * *

><p>A lazy finger traced it's way through the wave of a teal tress as Michuru pursed her lips disdainfully. Her cheek still stung from the brunt of Haruka's hand and, more then that, her blood boiled in her veins. How dare Haruka slap her. How dare she hold herself so highly as to pass judgment on Michiru. Who did she think she was acting so high and mighty?<p>

"Arrogant bitch." Michiru grumbled, her tone uncharacteristically barbaric as she stalked from the elevator. She headed down the hall of the apartment building, only to find a disheveled Mamoru waiting for her outside his door.

"Where did you go?" He demanded. "You were gone a long time." His limbs were trembling but, not from rage. The man looked like a terrified puppy left behind by his mother, lost and confused. His blue eyes were wide, his jet black hair a tossed mess around his face; that handsome face where lines beyond his years were beginning to crease his forehead.

"Calm yourself My Beloved." She cooed in a voice that was sickeningly gentle, as if she were speaking to a child. Her hand reached out so that her palm could cup his cheek, instantly stilling the tremor in his body. "I merely paid a visit to my old comrades."

Mamoru's face twisted in agony. "Usako..." Michuru's nails dug into his cheek at the tender way he spoke Usagi's pet name, making Mamoru wince and hiss from the pain.

"She wasn't there My Beloved." She spoke the words in a way that was most matter-of-fact, but there was something icy in the way her eyes bore into Mamoru's. "I imagine she's locked herself away in her room, agonizing over the loss of everything she's ever wanted." This made Michuru's expression brighten cruelly.

"Michiru..." Mamoru groaned and turned his face away from the woman's touch as if scorched by it. Michiru looked upon him, puckering her lips in thoughtful pity. He looked like such a tortured soul and, she could tell that his guilt was causing him a great deal of pain. Pitiful. But she'd rid him of the pesky demons which tormented him soon enough.

"Forgive me My Beloved, I will hold my tongue on the matter." She smiled more sweetly at him, knowing he preferred that side of her. "But you know it was all necessary don't you?" She asked innocently as she laced an arm inside his and, ushered him back into his apartment.

"Why though? Why did we have to hurt Usako so much?" He challenged earnestly. Michiru bit the inside of her cheek; that name he called the Princess, that cute little term of endearment, it really raked at her nerves. Why didn't he sound as enraptured when he spoke her name?

"She had to know her place." Her blunt tone made Mamoru's steps cease and, Michuru sighed as she released him and made to plant herself upon his couch. "Have you lost faith in me, dear Mamoru?" Her sea foam colored eyes shimmered, swimming with sadness as they gazed up at him. Mamoru crumpled to the ground in front of her shaking his head wildly and, gripped the hem of her skirt above her knee.

"No, never Michiru." His head bowed to her causing a satisfied smile to tug up the corners of her fine lips. "I'm just so... so torn. I'm so confused. It hurts so much. Should it hurt this much?" His shoulders quaked making Michiru offer a quiet sigh. Her fingers ran through his short black hair soothingly, offering comforting shushes as his tears rolled over her knees.

"The pain will pass My Beloved, you just need to give it time." She spoke so gently as she reached for him, her hands enveloping the back of his head to bring his face to her bosom. "It was all necessary to make our dream a reality. You'll have your Princess again, I promise." Mamoru sobbed quietly and, Michiru smiled fondly as her head came to rest on top of his, veiling him behind her curled hair. "You'll hold her tightly as she ushers in the new world and, we will all receive what destiny has promised us."

Michiru's eyes stared off, clouding as she spoke. "We will all get what we deserve."

_If I could flow like the wind I would reach you._

_If I could shine like a moon I would keep shining on you._

_I'll be anything if it can stop you from being seized with fear._

_-Moments _by Ayumi Hamasaki

* * *

><p>Chapter three hurah! I know what y'all are thinking... "Michiru, you bitch!" And if you're not thinking that... what's wrong with you? I know things are moving kind of slow right now but, I'm just building it up. Hopefully this chapter is intriguing enough to catch your attention though. Are you wondering what the hell is going on? What the hell is going to happen? If you're not... I've failed... :C If you are, then yay! :D Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and will stick with me until the very end! This story is my pride and joy so I hope you all will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.<p>

**Review Please! **


	4. A Coming Storm

**Chapter Four**

**A Coming Storm**

_Your heart began to be scorched, and there was a smell of it._

_It was the end of your dream, and the start of everything…_

_-Moments_ by Ayumi Hamasaki

_**Greegr...**_ Haruka parted an eyelid and shifted her one-eyed gaze toward Usagi, or at least toward the top of one of her buns which protruded within vision. Usagi shifted her body meekly against Haruka's side as if embarrassed. Despite herself, Haruka gave a dull sort of chuckle.

"Are you hungry Princess?" Another very audible sound produced by Usagi's stomach was the woman's answer.

She sat up, drawing Usagi into a sitting position as well before she slipped her arm from around the younger girl's shoulders. It tingled with numbness and pained Haruka a bit as she flexed and curled her arm to will the blood to run freely through the veins under her skin. She wasn't sure how long she and Usagi had been lying in Chibiusa's old bed, because she'd dozed off shortly after Usagi had cried herself to sleep. But judging by the deep darkness they sat in she was sure it had to be well into the night.

Haruka gave a sigh of effort as she rose from the bed and stretched her arms over her head. Her back gaze a dull cracking noise as her spine curled, the sound of her bare feet carrying her through the darkness filling the room before it was cast into light. Haruka looked toward the bed to find that Usagi had laid herself back down, her body once again curled in on itself. Her head lay upon the pillow and her big blue eyes were staring straight at Haruka; she looked so much like a child, lost and hurt and, it made Haruka's heart ache and her stomach churn. How could this have happened?

"I think it'd be best if we got you some food." She ran the fingers of a hand through her hair, attempting to straighten out the messy blonde mane.

"I'm not hungr-" Usagi began, barely heard over the roar of her stomach. "I don't feel like eating." She rectified.

Haruka nodded, a thoughtful expression overtaking her face as if she were mulling over Usagi's words. "I suppose I can understand that." Haruka turned her back on Usagi to lean against the small wall that shielded the attic stairs. "But, it seems to me that if you're not willing to get out of bed for food, then I can't imagine you'd be willing to get out of bed for anything else." She went on thoughtfully and Usagi rose her head slightly from her pillow. "Like something as trivial as, oh I dunno, bathing."

"Huh?" Usagi frowned and Haruka gave a shrug of her shoulders, turning her head back toward her.

"Well, I wasn't going to bring it up..." Haruka turned to face Usagi, still leaning her side into the edge of the wall. "But, you're starting to smell a little ripe Princess." She batted her eyes innocently at the younger girl whose cheeks flushed a soft shade of pink.

"That's mean Haruka-san..." Usagi pouted, her peeved but baffled expression making it clear that she was wondering whether or not her soldier was kidding.

"Just a ploy to get you to come out to eat with me." Haruka shrugged and gave a small, crooked smile.

She was still as playful as ever but there was something downtrodden about her demeanor that told of her pain. Something Usagi, even wrapped up in her own, could see. But Haruka did not cry. She did not curl into a ball and will the world to end so that she wouldn't have to feel the aching pain in her heart. She was stronger then that, perhaps too proud for it and, a sense of admiration warmed the cold pit of Usagi's stomach. The thought of leaving that room, where the memory of her daughter was still so fresh Usagi swore she could smell the cotton candy perfume Chibiusa had loved, pained her more then anything. The thought of having to be around people who's lives still contained meaning and hope was so utterly depressing. But, despite the reluctance that weighed her body down Usagi knew that it was something she had to do and, that she'd be able to do it with Haruka's strength warming her body.

"Alright..." She finally said but, Usagi made no movement that suggested she was willing to get up.

Still, Haruka's smile brightened a bit. "That's my girl." Usagi bit her lip, feeling an odd stirring in her heart. "Wait here." She nodded as Haruka turned and headed noiselessly down the attic steps.

"Strange..." Usagi muttered to herself.

Though despair was still fresh in her being, seeming intent on draining her very life force, there was another feeling deep within her core. It was small and faint but, there was something so warm and familiar about it. She willed it to grow, to overcome the agony that gripped her heart. Yet it lay dormant.

Usagi sighed, drawing her hand from beside her chest to stare at the heart shaped ring that still circled her finger. Through the events of the night before and, that day she'd never even considered taking it off. It seemed only natural to, but the young woman found even the thought of removing it made her sick to her stomach. Taking off that ring, it was symbolic, even a girl as simpleminded as Usagi knew that. Taking off that ring meant the end of Mamoru's promise that it had sealed. It was the physical act of giving up on her dream, of all she had ever fought for, of all she had ever wanted. She just couldn't do it.

She didn't hear Haruka mounting the steps and so jolted with surprise as the tall woman approached the bed to cast her shadow over Usagi. The young blonde looked up to find Haruka watching her. Her expression was not cold and judging or, even worried; Haruka's face was soft, softer then Usagi could ever recall seeing it and, had a calm understanding. Usagi was entranced for a moment when Haruka offered her a tilted little smile. She'd never noticed—maybe because of the older woman's tendency to dress in masculine clothes or, because of Usagi's own obliviousness—but Haruka was quite beautiful. Not handsome like a rougish boy, but beautiful like a regal lady.

"Shall I dress you then Princess?" Haruka inquired with the slightest tilt of her head, her smile growing rather sly. "Or will you get up and do it yourself?"

Usagi blushed, confused until she dropped her eyes to find that Haruka held some of her clothes in her arms. Slowly, her stiff joints pained by the movement, Usagi pushed herself up into a sitting position on the bed.

"I'm sure I can manage." She answered, her tone surprisingly curt though flat with exhaustion. Still it seemed to please Haruka that Usagi could find it in herself to respond to her games.

"Good. Your room was pretty disorganized but I managed to find those in your dresser. I always thought you looked cute in that outfit."

Usagi held out the garments to examine them; a pair of black sweatpants with the hiragana for **"chu"** written in hot pink on the front of the right thigh, and a plain pink spaghetti strap tank top. She frowned and looked back up at Haruka.

"These are the pajamas I wore to that sleepover at Mako-chan's house."

Haruka laughed. "I'm aware, I was there for the first half of the night if you recall. But, thankfully I left before Rei and Minako started their little popcorn battle that turned into an all out snack-war in Makoto's kitchen." She lifted a finger to scratch the bridge of her nose. "At least they had the decency to clean the mess themselves."

"You think I look cute in these?" Usagi drew the conversation back, eying the outfit in her hands with a most skeptical look.

Her uncertainty made Haruka smile. "You look cute in everything Princess." She offered Usagi a wink, prompting the young girl to blush.

"You're such a flirt Haruka-san..." Haruka laughed and nodded.

"Get changed, I'll be waiting downstairs." She turned and headed for the stairs, offering a lazy backwards wave.

"Haruka-san!" Usagi called and Haruka paused at the top of the staircase. "Did you mean what you said earlier? I mean..." She faltered and the red of her cheeks intensified. "Do I really smell?"

"Oh, that reminds me." Haruka waved one finger to the sky as her free hand went into the back pocket of her jeans. She withdrew a stick of deodorant, which she tossed in Usagi's direction. Usagi fumbled, managing to catch the deodorant but, dropped her clothes in the process. Haruka flashed one of her broad, handsome grins when Usagi's face turned a feverish red.

"I take it back Haruka-san." Usagi pouted as her cocky blonde soldier made her way down the stairs. "You're a butthead!" She heard the woman laugh and close the attic door behind her.

* * *

><p>"This place has really great western food like burgers and fries and stuff." Haruka offered, a modest amount of enthusiasm laced into her familiarly casual tone. "Best part about them is they're open all night."<p>

Usagi eyed the small roadside diner they had parked in front of with mild interest. Even the prospect of free food—something that would have normally had the vivacious blonde bouncing around her seat—wasn't enough to entice excitement out of or, even inside her.

But, if Haruka was discouraged it didn't show. She exited the car in that swift, easy motion she was most accustomed to and, moved around to the sidewalk to open Usagi's door. The young blonde looked up at her soldier, perplexed at the dignified expression Haruka bore. A hand rested upon the door, Haruka drew her other up and offered it out to Usagi with the slightest tilt of her head.

"My lady?" The wind tamer spoke elegantly and, Usagi couldn't help but blush at the smooth smirk that made Haruka's eyes dazzle.

Her lips twitched with a smile that never really came and, Usagi took Haruka's hand, allowing the older woman to assist her out of the car. Haruka's touch was warm, her palm slender and, her fingers surprisingly long. Usagi had never noticed before—perhaps because Haruka had never held her by the hand—and she quietly marveled at the perfect balance of masculinity and femininity in that hand.

She looked up to find Haruka staring at her calmly and, Usagi realized she had been standing there on the sidewalk just holding her soldier's hand. Her blush grew brighter and she uncoiled her digits and dropped her hand timidly to her side.

"Sorry, I feel all spacey." Usagi forced a laughed and, Haruka nodded, her expression thoughtful, almost sad. It made Usagi's heart ache but, she didn't know why.

There was so much sadness inside her, so much hopelessness that she couldn't properly sort her emotions, let alone her thoughts. She felt anxious, like the air she drew into her lungs was instead spreading around them and crushing them. She didn't want to be there, she didn't want to be outside, she didn't even want to be alive.

The warmth of Haruka's hand touched her cheek and, Usagi started. "Princess..." Her voice was quiet as she brushed away the tear that had fallen from Usagi's eye without her knowledge. Usagi bit her lip and sniffed pathetically as Haruka's hand moved down and found hers once again. "It's nice to hold hands, isn't it?"

Their fingers intertwined and, the crushing weight on Usagi's chest lifted just enough to allow her to take a long shaky breath. Haruka looked upon her, her eyes not judging, their blue depths strong and serene. How was she so strong? _'Why am I so weak.'_ The thought traveled through Usagi's mind as she squeezed her soldier's hand tightly for support. Haruka smiled just slightly and, Usagi fought to give one of her own as she nodded.

"Yes, I like it very much." She couldn't manage more then a whisper but, Haruka didn't seem to mind and, proudly led her into the diner.

They were greeted by an oddly chipper waitress—considering it was almost three o'clock in the morning—behind a long metal counter lined with blue stools, who waved her hand out to gesture them into any seat they wanted.

"I'll be right with you!" She beamed and, Haruka nodded politely but, Usagi kept her eyes downcast. In her current state of mind she found the waitress' disposition depressing and just a little bit irritating. What could there possibly be to be so happy about?

They made their way to a table in the far corner of the very small diner and, Usagi ushered herself into the window seat. But rather then relinquish Haruka's hand to allow the woman to sit on the other side of the table, she maintained a firm grasp. Haruka didn't question or protest; she slid casually into the booth, right beside Usagi, as if it were normal habit for them to remain so close.

"Do you know what you want?" Haruka questioned over the grumble of Usagi's stomach. She seemed completely undeterred over the fact that Usagi sat beside her, an arm laced in hers to cling on her like a small child would.

Usagi was embarrassed but, she couldn't help it. For some reason holding onto Haruka—being close to her—it made Usagi feel more at peace. The sorrow was still there, bubbling in the pit of her stomach to prompt nausea in her throat. But with Haruka there it was bearable. The older woman's easygoing demeanor was contagious, at least enough that Usagi could stand to face the prospect of the unclear future ahead of her. Or at the very least just not think about it.

"Um, a burger with the works... extra pickle." Usagi nodded. "A lot of pickle." She confirmed and Haruka smirked. "A strawberry milkshake, maybe some apple pie? You think they have it? Maybe with ice cream? That'd be really good." Usagi licked her lips absentmindedly.

Haruka laughed. "So much for not being hungry huh?" She offered the younger girl a teasing nudge and, Usagi smiled a little despite herself.

"I guess I was little hungry." Haruka lifted a finger and tapped the tip of Usagi's nose playfully.

"See, I know how to take care of you Princess." She smiled affectionately as Usagi's face tinged a soft pink. "Just leave it to me."

Usagi felt her heart flutter, Haruka was so good to her, so supportive. She was a true guardian if ever there was one. Usagi was so grateful to have her in that moment, she felt like she was going to cry.

"Well you two are about the cutest couple I've ever seen!" The cheerful waitress interrupted Usagi's thoughts, breaking her stare away from Haruka's abysmal eyes. She was an older woman with graying black hair, twinkling brown eyes and a short, plump stature. "What a lucky girl you are to have such a handsome boyfriend." She said to Usagi and, Haruka chuckled. She hadn't taken her jacket off so, as usual she had been mistaken for a boy. "You're a wonderful match! You compliment each other so well." She gushed and Haruka pursed her lips in an awkward sort of smile.

"Haruka-san is a girl." Usagi stated firmly and, without much tact. Haruka looked toward her with raised eyebrows, a lazy sort of surprise on her face and, the waitress went completely crimson. "I mean, she'-she's not my boyfriend of course." Even as she said it, she absentmindedly hugged Haruka's arm harder.

"No of course not." The waitress laughed uncomfortably. "W-what can I get the two of you?"

Haruka smiled quite comfortably. "Two burgers with the works; extra, _extra _pickle. Maybe some on the side." She cocked her head and gave a wink Usagi's way. The young girl blushed harder, both at the suggestiveness of their predicament (she knew exactly what the waitress was thinking!) and, knowing good and well that Haruka was probably thoroughly amused and enjoying herself "Also two strawberry milkshakes and, two slices of apple pie. With vanilla ice cream if you have it."

The waitress nodded repeatedly, jotting the order down feverishly on her little notepad. She was clearly very flustered. "Alright, be right with you." She quickly made her exit.

"That was quite smooth kitten." Haruka commented offhandedly and Usagi pouted.

"Well I was just trying to stick up for you. Doesn't it bother you when people mistake you for a boy?"

Haruka shrugged. "Not really."

"Well regardless." Usagi huffed and leaned herself comfortably against Haruka. "Now she thinks we're lesbians."

"I am a lesbian Princess." Haruka blinked slowly.

"I-I didn't mean there was anything wrong with being a—with liking g-girls or anything just-well, I'm..." Haruka's lips cocked into a crooked grin that made Usagi pout. "You're teasing me again?"

Haruka chuckled. "It's just so much fun."

Usagi's pout deepened. "You really are very mean Haruka-san."

"Am I?"

"Yes." Usagi replied indefinitely as she turned her head pointedly toward the window. She watched the first few raindrops of a coming storm hit the pane. "But, I like you the way you are."

Haruka stared dumbfounded at Usagi, grateful that she didn't take notice of the uncharacteristically bashful red color of Haruka's cheeks as she watched the building rain slide down the window.

The waitress was grateful that neither of them noticed the way she stopped in front of their table, turned around swiftly to walk back in the other direction to gather herself and came back to present them with their milkshakes and a completely accepting smile. Neither Usagi nor Haruka understood the significance of it but, Haruka smiled back regardless as Usagi crinkled her nose in question.

* * *

><p><em>The drizzle of the the water that slipped from the carved vases of the fountain, trailing to trickle to it's base like little rivers was calming. She'd always found that, no matter what sort of trouble she had to worry her mind, she could always go there and always she would feel so lighthearted. That rose garden, with it's lovely fountain where porcelain cherubs brandished their jugs of water, offering their nectar of life to the pool whose edge she sat upon. It was the most beautiful place in all of the Moon Kingdom.<em>

"_You come here often Sailor Jupiter." She jerked around in surprise, turning her head to find the image of a petite yet voluptuous young woman before her. Her hair was a strikingly vibrant shade of maroon that danced with charming copper highlights. It framed her round face and, ran sleek and straight all the way down to her generously curved hips. "Forgive me." She tilted her head in a bow, casting her haunting golden eyes behind the veil of the bangs that hid her forehead._

"_No, there's no need." Jupiter smiled warmly at the beautiful girl, her eyes trailing down. She wore the white fitted robe-dress of the palace servants, yet she did not share their timid demeanor. Her figure was strong and feminine, her gleaming eyes wise and thoughtful. "I was just admiring the beauty of the fountain, it's one of my favorite spots." Her eyes met the other girl's once more, finding that she stared at her with such an intensity that Jupiter's face grew warm under the gaze._

"_It is a beautiful spot." She nodded and her bare feet carried her across the smooth marble rocks that lead a pathway to and around the fountain. "The smell of the roses puts ones mind at peace." She stood beside where Jupiter sat on the fountain's edge, maintaining a respectful distance._

_Jupiter beamed. "Exactly! I showed Mars this place once and she found it boring. Venus couldn't sit still and Mercury was just sitting there to be polite I know it." Jupiter pouted as she babbled. "Even her Highness Princess Serenity wasn't interested."_

_The crimson haired woman giggled and, Jupiter blushed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ramble." The woman tilted her head so that the delicate strands of her hair slipped across her olive toned cheek._

"_I don't mind." She grinned and Jupiter returned the easy expression despite her embarrassment. "It is nice of you to want to share such a special spot with someone." She looked back toward the fountain, gazing longingly into the face of one of the little angels. "Perhaps I could sit here with you one day." It was the woman who blushed this time._

"_I wouldn't mind." Jupiter replied evenly. The woman looked upon her, her pretty yellow eyes wide with shock. They softened and, she smiled again at Jupiter; so softly, so serenely that for a minute Jupiter was in awe. In that moment, she would have sworn that one of the angels from the fountain had come to life and, stood before her. "Who are you?"_

_The woman dragged pearly teeth across her rosy lower lip. "My name is-"_

Makoto's eyes fluttered open to stare at the ceiling that loomed over her head. There had been no loud noise, no disturbance of any kind to draw her from her slumber. Yet there she lay in her bed, the dream she had experienced fresh in her mind, more like it was a memory. But it couldn't be. That woman in her dream, that pretty face, that shocking hair, that had been...

"Despo." She whispered the name of her favored idol and her heart warmed.

She had fallen asleep with her headphones still stuck in her ears, listening to that same song she had sang the night before on repeat. That was probably why she had dreamed about the singer. But Makoto could only quietly wonder why the dream had taken place in the time of the Silver Millennium.

_'It's probably because of all that's been happening; with the other soldiers, with poor Usagi-chan.' _She thought somberly as she sat up in bed. She pulled her headphones from her ears and placed her Ipod—which had died sometime during the night—on the nightstand beside her bed.

She felt a familiar static building in her body and, Makoto looked toward her window just as thunder boomed in the distance as if to greet her presence back into the waking world. It rained lightly, she knew the storm would soon pass but, it drew her from her bed regardless. Forgetting the satin slippers that always awaited her at her bedside, she padded barefoot over to the window to watch the darkened sky. A pale lightening lit the vast abyss above her and Makoto touched a hand to her heart as it beat erratically against her ribcage, the other pressed against the glass.

"Strange." She whispered to the night, suddenly feeling short of breath. Without explanation her insides began to quiver with a strange anxiety. It was incredibly unsettling and uncomfortable but, there was also a yearning that mingled with it. "Something..." She clutched her fist against her chest.

"_My name is..."_ The words danced through Makoto's mind again and, she shut her eyes tightly, desperately trying to remember. She knew the name, she'd heard it in her dream, she knew she had. She'd heard it somewhere before. Somewhere. Some time—A time long ago.

Her green eyes popped open. "Something's coming."

She drew her hand back, finding that it left an imprint in the faint fog that had covered her window. Makoto stared for a minute and the fog thickened ever so slightly. Of it's own accord her hand came back up and, a finger extended to drag along the smoothness of the glass. It drew a circle then, looping from the circle's center to the outside of it's perimeter she drew another. Then another, and another. Six circles around, one in the middle. _'It looks like a flower.'_ Makoto thought as the fog reformed and began to overtake the strange symbol.

She didn't know what it meant, no more then she understood the feelings that raged inside her like a violent storm. But Makoto knew it meant something, something to do with whatever it was that made it's way toward her. Good or bad, she could not say. It felt like a mixture of both.

And it scared her.

_If I could flow like the wind I would reach you._

_If I could shine like a moon I would keep shining on you._

_I'll be anything if it can stop you from being seized with fear._

_-Moments _by Ayumi Hamasaki

* * *

><p><strong>MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL! <strong>Okay so it's not Christmas... but I won't be posting again until after the Holidays so I wanted to send you all my greetings. It means so much to me that you are all enjoying this fic, which I am so proud of and dedicated to. It's like you're all banning together and giving me my Christmas present early. C:

Now some of you might be confused about the last part of this chapter; Jupiter isn't the senshi known for having premonitions after all. But, those who have read the manga might remember that she can often sense things in the behavior of the weather. That's all I can say without spoiling things for you though so just be patient and all your questions will be answered in the remaining chapters.

Don't forget to tell me what you think! I love to hear from you guys so **REVIEW PLEASE! **


	5. A New Enemy

**Chapter Five**

**A New Enemy**

_Your heart began to be scorched, and there was a smell of it._

_It was the end of your dream, and the start of everything…_

_-Moments_ by Ayumi Hamasaki

_Rei's breath left her mouth in puffs of hot vapor, it was all she could see in front of her eyes. There was nothing but black around, behind and before her; nothing but a thick, endless darkness that seemed intent on swallowing her up. Where was she? Was she dreaming?_

_She took a cautious step forward and, held her hand out in front of her, trying to feel for anything that might be there. Her arms moved to her sides, stretching out, searching. But there was nothing, no matter which way she staggered Rei couldn't find anything that might indicate to her where she was. _

"_What is this?" Her voice echoed endlessly through the vast nothingness but, she received no answer. "Hello, is anyone here?" She called and, almost as soon as she did, the screaming began._

_It was an earsplitting shriek that rang throughout the area, coming from no where and yet, it was everywhere. It pierced Rei so sharply it rocked her to her very core and, turned the blood in her veins icy. She clamped both hands over her ears, coiling away from the noise but, she moved forward more quickly. _

"_Who's there!" She shouted, her voice barely audible over the awful sound. The screams grew louder, broken by pants of labor and sobs of suffering. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks as Rei forced her head up and took her hands from her ears. That cry, that awful wail, she knew it all too well. "Usagi-chan!" _

_A rounded light appeared far off in the distance, the cry of her princess mounted and, Rei began to run. Her limbs quivered violently, but the raven haired beauty ran faster then she had ever run in her life, faster then she ever thought she could. But that distant light did not grow closer, even as Usagi's calls of distress grew more dire. _

"_Usagi-chan! Usagi!" Rei was sobbing too, choking on the name as she gasped for air, the light before her deformed by her tears. She had to get to Usagi, she had to save her princess. Rei didn't know where she was, she didn't understand what was happening but, somewhere inside her she knew she had to make it to Usagi. Something was telling her that if she couldn't make it... if she was just a moment too late... _

_Suddenly light rushed toward Rei and, was all around her. It bore upon her, it's brightness blinding her but, there was no warmth to be had in that light. It was cold and lifeless. Rei shielded her eyes with an arm, surprised and confused to find that the screaming had stopped, leaving behind the endless silence to fill her ears once more. Where was Usagi?_

"_U-Usagi-Usagi-chan where are you?" Rei squinted through the dimming light, her eyes rising to find the source; the surface of the moon hovering over her. It was so close she was sure that if she got a running start she could jump up and touch it. She'd never seen the moon so close to the earth._

_She looked around her to find nothing but rock walls. She was in a cavern, cast deeply into shadow by the moon that loomed down upon her—dark and foreboding—from an opening at the top. She was freezing, out of fear or out of climate she could not say. But the cold that took hold of her body was the fiercest Rei had ever felt._

_Once again a crying surrounded her but, these sobs were faint and sharp. They were the helpless calls of a baby. There was no threat in them, no telling of distress but, they hallowed Rei's body and made her heart pound in her ears. She was scared, horrified and she didn't know why. Where was her princess?_

"_Usa-Usagi-chan." She whispered the name and felt her throat close as something wet hit her cheek. It was warm but, it was not the tears that trickled from her eyes and ran cold rivers down her cheeks. It was too thick. _

_Slowly, her trembling hands forming fists at her sides, Rei drew her eyes up. Back they traveled to that moon that cast her in it's mournful light and, there they rested, agape in horror. Thin rivers of red stained the moon's pale surface, dipping into its porcelain craters as it ran a path down the moon's face. The baby cried louder and, Rei began to sob in anguish. A powerful despair seized her heart and squeezed it until she felt that she would die under it's hold. She reached up to tangle her fingers into her hair and fell to her knees as she let out a horrible scream._

"_Usagi!"_

"Rei, Rei-chan!"

Rei shot up and jerked to the side, nearly tumbling out of her bed but, Minako's arms drew in tightly around her torso to keep her level. Her body was trembling violently and lay covered in a cold sweat that made Minako's arms slip along her skin as Rei teetered about. The dark haired miko twisted her head back and forth, searching through the darkness of the room, recoiling from the memory of her dream.

"Rei-chan, Rei-chan what's the matter?" Minako asked both utterly bewildered and fearful for her friend. After Makoto and the others had left, Minako had stayed behind with Rei; neither girl had wanted to be alone. They hadn't talked much; after Rei gave Minako a pair of pajamas to sleep, in they had both crawled into Rei's bed and gone to sleep. They were emotionally exhausted due to the events of the day.

Rei didn't answer Minako, only continued to look around her as if searching for some impending danger. She was clinging to Minako, pushing the blonde into the corner of the wall were Rei's bed rested. It seemed to Minako like Rei was trying to shield her from something, but there was nothing there.

"Rei-chan please tell me what's wrong. You're scaring me!" Minako tried to be firm, but there was a frantic edge to her voice. "What did you see Rei?" She demanded, reaching up a hand to clasp the raven haired beauty's chin between her fingers. Minako forced Rei to look at her and saw that the girl's eyes still darted in the darkness. "You were screaming Rei-chan. You were screaming for Usagi."

Rei's eyes finally found Minako's as if something had dawned upon the panicked girl. She blinked rapidly, adjusting her eyes to the darkness and, Minako drew in a shaky breath.

"Usagi-chan." Rei whispered and Minako nodded.

"Yes, you were screaming her name."

"Usagi-chan!" Suddenly Rei wrenched herself from Minako's grasp and jumped from the bed. She tripped and staggered but managed to stay on her feet. "We have to find her." She mumbled absentmindedly, kicking through the pile of clothes she and Minako had left carelessly on her floor, as she headed for her closet.

"Wait what?" The confused blonde questioned as she crawled out of bed and stood, dumbfounded as she watched Rei tug a black hooded sweatshirt over her head. "Wait Rei-chan just-just tell me what's happening."

Minako moved forward and caught Rei by the wrist as the other girl moved for her bedroom door. She turned upon Minako, who's blood ran cold at the expression of tortured concern on Rei's normally serene face. To see any of her friends in such a state of distress was sure to put Minako on edge. The fact that it was Rei—who was so well known for her calm demeanor and sensible attitude—made the soldier of love that much more uneasy.

"I don't know." Rei's voice was shaky and, Minako could see the tears welling in her eyes. "I don't know what it is Mina-chan. But something-something's happening. I don't know I-I just know something awful-it's so awful, this feeling." Rei pressed a hand into her chest to clutch the fabric of her sweatshirt and bowed her head to let the tears drip from her chin. Minako could feel her eyes welling up and reached out to grasp Rei's shoulders comfortingly. "We have to go to Usagi-chan"

Minako nodded quickly. "Yes, yes of course."

Her heart was hammering in her chest as Minako slipped one of Rei's extra sweaters over her head. Her hands trembled as she went outside to meet Rei, who stood on the shrine's pathway on anxious feet. Minako still wasn't sure what exactly was going on but, with Rei practically sprinting down the shrine steps she knew deep down that something terrible was coming.

* * *

><p>The night was brisk; a cool wind drifted through the air to rustle the leaves on the trees that grew all around the park. It didn't bother Haruka too much though. The long sleeves of her button down shirt stretched warmly down her arms, the collar left popped open to expose a bit of her pale flesh to the refreshing breeze. Thankfully it had stopped raining before they left the diner.<p>

"Is that better Princess?" She looked to her side, where Usagi walked in stride with her, her shoulders covered by Haruka's leather jacket. She nodded, taking another lap at her ice cream cone.

After they'd eaten, Usagi had decided they should go on a walk; which was perfectly fine with Haruka. But then she had complained that she was cold and, ever the gentlewoman, Haruka had offered her jacket. The wind, no matter how cold, never really bothered Haruka anyway, so she didn't mind too much.

"You know, you'd probably be warmer if you stopped eating that ice cream." Haruka teased and Usagi looked up at her coyly.

"Your jacket is doing the job just fine Haruka-san." Haruka laughed.

"Of course. Don't get me wrong, I'm quite happy you've got your appetite back. So much for not wanting to eat eh?"

Usagi shrugged. "I guess..." She faltered, drawing her icy treat away from her lips to stare at it's pale whiteness that glowed under the light of the moon. "I guess I just figure that laying in my bed and waiting to die really won't solve anything." Her voice was grim and, it made Haruka's heart feel heavy. She could see the pain beginning to cloud Usagi's blue eyes.

Without thought Haruka's long arm outstretched toward Usagi and, came to rest along the young woman's shoulders over her jacket. Usagi blushed and looked up at Haruka—who was a bit embarrassed herself but offered a soft smile regardless—the fog dissipating from her mind almost instantly. Banished by the sudden gust of a calming wind.

"It'll be alright Princess." Usagi drew in a deep breath, taken aback by the beautiful serenity of Haruka's face. She hadn't even noticed that they'd stopped walking the moment Haruka wrapped her in an arm.

She stared at her soldier and, the tall woman stared right back, a slight tilt of her head given as if in question. But Usagi gave no answer, she didn't have one. She couldn't explain what it was; the feeling that spread through her body in that moment. All she knew was that around Haruka, it was hard for her to lose herself in her misery. By her soldier's side, Usagi felt an odd sense of peace even when troubled by the looming uncertainty of what her future held.

Would she be able to create Crystal Tokyo and know the peace it's reign promised? Would she ever understand why Mamoru had betrayed her so dearly? Would she ever hold her daughter in her arms again? Such questions had played over and over in her mind since the previous night. But, when she was with Haruka they were drowned out by a hopeful hum. When Haruka looked at her and smiled Usagi knew it would all be okay. She just knew it.

"Usagi." The young girl blinked rapidly, consciousness returning as she looked up at Haruka. The older woman extended a hand, drawing her finger along the back of Usagi's hand where trails of ice cream made her skin sticky. "Your ice cream is melting."

Usagi blushed as Haruka drew her finger back up to her lips and sucked the cold treat from it's tip. "Oopsie..." She said cutely, forcing a small laugh as she went back to eating her ice cream. She really needed to stop losing herself in her thoughts.

Haruka laughed as well and began to lead her princess back along the path but, she stopped suddenly once again and turned her head. She watched through curiously slitted eyes as the light at the top of the light-post that lit the path behind them flickered. It blinked quickly at first but, gradually slowed down before it finally died to cast them into shadow. Haruka's lips pursed and she turned her head straight; there were about ten different light posts in front of them, lighting the way through the park and—same as the first—their lights were flickering ominously.

"Haruka-san..." Usagi's started when Haruka's hand gripped her shoulder tightly, shivering in the air that was suddenly so cold she could see the breath leaving her lips.

"Do you feel it Princess?" Her tone was quiet but firm and, it sent a chill down Usagi's spine as she nodded.

The lights went out in unison and all was still. The quiet of the park filled their ears, the only sound to be heard being Usagi's shaky breath and—perhaps—the erratic thump of Haruka's heart. The rustle of a bush sounded on their right, closest to Usagi and, the young woman felt herself swiftly pulled into Haruka's chest. Her ice cream fell to the concrete as Usagi buried her face their above Haruka's breasts. She asked no questions, only listened as Haruka stared into the trees over Usagi's head.

But there was nothing but shadow. Endless, foreboding shadow that seemed to breath as if it had life. The darkness tricked Haruka's eyes; making her think it had a shape. The jagged uneven shape of a demon; taller then any man with spiked arms, hooked legs and a massive head that sprout horns that spiraled past it's ears. Haruka stared at the strange shape the darkness created, her body so cold it felt like she were surrounded by snow. She stayed perfectly still, unsure of why she felt so uneasy. It was just a shadow, a trick of the light or, lack there of. But she couldn't move, she couldn't even speak.

The same couldn't be said for Usagi. "Haruka-san..." She lifted her head and twisted her torso to peer backward. "What are you-" Her words were broken by her cry of terror that stabbed Haruka's ears and shot through her joints.

The shadow sprang as Haruka spun with Usagi in her arms. She carried her princess further down the path, backing away from the strange creature made of darkness, never taking her widened eyes off of it. It stood straight and tall from the crouch it sat in where they had stood just moments before. It turned to face them but did not instantly make to attack them. It was just looking at them as if waiting for something.

"Usagi..." Her breath left her in an unsteady whisper and, she heard the dark beast purr a quiet growl. "Transform."

Usagi was still twisted around in Haruka's arms; she too was staring at the formless thing that threatened them, her mouth agape, her limbs shaking. "Usagi..." Haruka whispered again but the young woman only shook her head and whimpered. The monster crouched and charged at them.

A fierce cry left Haruka's lips as, once again she dodged the creature's attack, shouting out her transformation in unison with Usagi's. Again the shadow moved in for an attack but, it's size made it slow and, Haruka easily pulled Usagi to safety behind a tree. She pressed her princess protectively into the trunk, peering from behind to watch as the monster huffed and growled, stomping along the path and swiping at air. It seemed to be looking for them. Apparently it was blind.

"Haruka-san..." Usagi's trembling whisper snapped Haruka's eyes back to her young ward, a baffled expression overtaking the worry that clouded her face. "My powers Haruka, they won't come."

It was true, Usagi was still in her normal clothes, the broach she had pulled from her pocket in hand. Haruka held onto her shoulders, looking over her body before finally finding her eyes. They were wide and filled with terror. Haruka gritted her teeth to still the tremble in her palm as she brought it forth to cup Usagi's cheek.

"I will protect you Princess." Her whisper carried through the wind to calm Usagi's breath. "Stay hidden, make no sounds."

There was no time to ponder over why Usagi's transformation wouldn't work, it was irrelevant in that moment. Haruka instead focused on the task at hand; defeating her enemy as swiftly as possible so as not to endanger her princess any longer. If the creature was truly blind, it shouldn't be hard. Haruka knew that but, as she stepped silently from behind the tree and drew forth her signature attack, she could not shake the doubt that churned her stomach.

"World shaking!" She slammed her fist to the ground and, the ball of yellow energy that shot forth illuminated the night brilliantly. The sudden brightness blinded Haruka briefly but, she saw the attack hit the monster square in it's back.

So she was dumbfounded as the light faded and the monster turned on her, completely unharmed.

She gulped and the monster charged once more, pouncing into the stone ground were she once stood. It's attacks were easy enough for Haruka to doge but, she found that as soon as the click of her heals sounded on the pavement the monster turned and came at her once more. It was a dangerous dance, one Haruka could not prolong. Another jump, another charge and Haruka tuck-rolled off the paved path to find her way into the forestry that lined it.

The monster was confused, once again swiping viciously at the empty air around it, howling ferociously at the night. It was a sound the likes of which Haruka had never heard; like a thousand pain-filled shrieks that rang from the darkest pits of hell. It inspired utter horror in the very pit of her stomach but, she pushed it away. She had to end this.

Soundlessly she moved through the grass and, calling forth her sword, she threw another attack at the monster, this time straight into it's chest.

"Space sword blaster!" She yelled and the surge of blue energy sliced across the monster's abdomen. It bellowed it's animalistic roar and staggered but, the creature did not fall.

Haruka grimaced; how was it so strong? She turned and made to serpentine through the trees as the monster ran toward her. She could hear it crashing behind her, throwing limbs and snapping trunks, chasing her blindly through the forestry.

This was bad, all she could do was run from it. How was she ever going to defeat the damn thing? Her mind distracted by distress and, her eyes not well adjusted to the night, Haruka found her foot caught upon a large rock that protruded riskily from the ground.

"Shit!" She hissed, twisting to try and catch herself but, the movement only caused her to fall painfully onto her ankle. Hot pain shot through her leg but Haruka hardly noticed. She lifted her head to find her enemy barreling right toward her.

Without thought she lifted her sword in a last ditch defense, her entire body rigid with fear and adrenaline. Her scream of defiant terror laced with the roar of the demon and the desperate wail of her princess.

"Haruka-san!" Usagi's scream seemed to vibrate the trees around her and—to Haruka's horror—the monster suddenly veered off toward it, just moments before it could have had Haruka in it's jowls.

"Princess!" Haruka shouted and staggered onto her feet, ignoring the debilitating pain as she ran, slicing her sword through the air to send another attack into the back of her enemy. But it was completely undeterred.

She could see Usagi standing defenselessly on the pathway; her eyes bulged, her body frozen in fear as the monster closed in on her. "Princess run!" But Usagi didn't move. "_Usagi_!" The monster lunged into the air in front of her.

"Mars flame sniper!" From somewhere in the shadows an arrow of flame shot forth to slam into the side of the creature's head. It flew off to the side, opening a path for Haruka, who ran at her princess to tackle her back into the shelter of the trees.

They hit the ground hard and, Haruka braced a hand into the ground beside Usagi's head to push herself up slightly from where she lay on top of her. She stared at her princess; at that pretty face, so pasty and sickly laced in a cold sweat. She looked toward the blue depths of the young woman's eyes and, what Haruka saw there made her own sting with tears. There was no hope inside them, the light that had once made them twinkle so brightly had completely gone out. All that was left was the hallowed out shell of a beautiful girl who, despite all her future still promised her, could find no reason to live.

Haruka's gloved hand gripped the grass, watching through blurred vision as her tears fell to slide across her princess' cheeks. Usagi's face twisted in shame but, she did not look away from Haruka.

"You idiot." Haruka choked and Usagi lifted a hand toward her flushed face but, the soldier swatted it away and pushed back onto her feet. She swiped at her eyes and turned back to the battle just in time to see Venus wrap her lighted chain around the roaring monster's neck.

"What the hell is this thing?" She heard the girl yell, twisting her chain in her fists and digging her feet into the ground to try and hold the creature steady as Mars shot one attack after the other into it's torso.

The only affect they had though, was on the monster's patience. It's massive hands gripped at the end of Venus' chain and, in a show of force used it to send the girl flying through the air in Mars' direction. The fire-wielding soldier stopped her attacks then and, instead positioned herself to catch Venus. Both girls hit the ground, Venus in Mars' lap; they watched the monster tear at the chain, bellowing in rage as the shadows around it lifted. Haruka rose her gaze to the top of the trees. Light had painting the edge of the sky, morning was coming, the shadows were lifting.

"It's getting away!" Mars shouted as she and Venus hurriedly picked themselves up from the ground. The creature was backing away, moving back into the darkness of the trees. The two soldiers advanced but, they found nothing but the receding darkness as they approached the bushes. "It-it's gone." Mars blinked, utterly bewildered.

Haruka moved forward as well. "Strange..." She looked back up toward the sky, hardly noticing as Mars and Venus rushed past her to crouch at Usagi's side.

"Usagi-chan, are you hurt?" Mars asked, gripping consolingly at the girl's hand as she sat there on the ground. Usagi shook her head.

"What happened?" She looked at Venus and shook her head again.

"I-I don't know." She admitted weakly, her eyes straying toward Haruka. The tall soldier kept her back to her. "We were attacked and, for some reason I couldn't transform."

Venus and Mars' concern showed clearly on their faces as Mars helped Usagi back onto her feet. She seemed especially concerned for Usagi's well-being and, this confused Usagi.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" The dark haired girl questioned, looking Usagi over as if to examine her.

"I-I'm fine Rei-chan, geez." The young girl forced a little laugh.

Mars frowned. "Yes well I'm taking you home right now."

"But, I was with Haruka-san." She looked toward the blonde who still would not meet her eyes.

"Haruka doesn't mind." Mars sniped motherly and drew her own gaze toward the other soldier. "Do you?"

Haruka shrugged. "Not at all." Usagi bit her lip.

"Right!" Venus interjected, if only just to be part of the conversation. "Mars, you go with Usagi-chan to her house. Uranus, you go take care of that injured ankle. I'll survey the scene and see if there's anything that might give some insight to our enemy. We'll meet up at Ami-chan's place tomorrow sometime. Agreed? I think for today we should all just rest, try to gather ourselves." Her eyes shifted briefly to Rei who was still fussing over Usagi. "I'll inform the others of what's happened and let them in on the plan.

Nobody had any objections but, when Haruka broke her transformation and began to head in the opposite direction of the way Usagi and Rei were going, the young girl stopped. She excused herself from her friend, who seemed reluctant to let her go but, agreed and moved to speak privately with Minako. Usagi ran over to Haruka.

"Haruka-san wait!" The older woman didn't stop but, with her limp breaking her stride Usagi easily caught up to her. "Haruka please." Usagi's voice cracked with a desperate squeak as she gripped her soldier's shoulder, forcing her to stop and look at her.

Usagi had never seen such a cold, hard stare in Haruka's gaze. At least, not when staring at her. She faltered under that disgruntled expression and chewed nervously at her lip. In the end she diverted her eyes to the ground and didn't say anything.

"Don't you ever do anything so stupid again." It was Haruka who spoke and, her frigid tone made Usagi flinch. "Promise me." Usagi sniffled and nodded but, Haruka was unsatisfied. She reached out and pulled Usagi's hand off of her shoulder to wrap it in a firm grip. "Promise!"

"I... I promise." Tears trickled off of Usagi's chin. She was so ashamed.

Haruka nodded and released her hand before she turned to face Usagi. The young blonde kept her head down and cried quietly, sniffling and hiccuping like a child as Haruka fastened the zipper of her jacket around her princess.

"You shouldn't be so eager to die Princess." Haruka's voice was softer as she said that and, Usagi lifted her head to find the woman's face lingering down close to hers. Her eyes were filled with an unspeakable pain that made the pieces of Usagi's shattered heart ache. "Not when there are still things worth living for." She rose a hand and touched Usagi's moistened cheek warmly, making the young girl's stomach flutter. "We'll find them together alright?"

Usagi nodded and, Haruka forced a little smile before she stepped away from the girl and turned her back on her once again. The young woman watched her soldier's back until it disappeared around the curve of the path through the park, all the while feeling a strange sense of nostalgia. She felt short of breath but, once again she felt oddly at peace.

"Thank you Haruka."

* * *

><p>"H-hello?" A groggy voice huffed from the earpiece of Haruka's phone.<p>

"We have a problem."

"Yeah we do—you woke me up."

Haruka chuckled into the receiver. "Isn't it six o'clock at night there?"

"I had a long night." The female voice yawned.

"I need you to come here." The girl laughed. "I'm serious."

"What the hell is so urgent that I have to come to Japan?"

"It involves the princess."

She scoffed. "Last time I checked the princess and I had very little to do with one another."

"Not when Michiru is out of the picture." Haruka stated gravely.

There was a long pause before the voice replied, far less sleepily. "Something's happened to Michi?"

"Something like that. Will you come?"

Haruka heard what sounded like the thoughtful click of a tongue against teeth. "Well why not? It's been a while since I've seen Tokyo."

"Take the next flight you can, I need you here by tonight."

"You always were very bossy." The woman simpered and Haruka sighed.

"And you never were very serious."

"Guilty. I'll be there." Another long pause. "Haruka; is it bad?"

The blonde pursed her lips. "I'm not sure. But it's certainly not good."

_ If I could flow like the wind I would reach you._

_If I could shine like a moon I would keep shining on you._

_I'll be anything if it can stop you from being seized with fear._

_-Moments _by Ayumi Hamasaki

* * *

><p>Hello all my beautiful readers! Did you miss me? Yes I know this chapter was a little late but it's not my fault. My roommate went and spilled vodka (yes vodka!) all over the keyboard of my laptop and ruined it. So I had to get a whole new one. Thankfully my dad was nice enough to buy me one as a Christmas present. So I'm good to go!<p>

Anyway I hope you liked this chapter. Enough drama and mystery for you? I certainly hope so. Tell me what you think in a** review** alright?


	6. A Big Surprise

**Chapter Six**

**A Big Surprise**

_Your heart began to be scorched, and there was a smell of it._

_It was the end of your dream, and the start of everything…_

_-Moments_ by Ayumi Hamasaki

Rei sat with her side pressed into the toilet, her knees curled up to her chest and, one hand cradling her head while the other held the phone receiver close to her ear. There were dusts of grogginess clouding her vision and a layer of exhaustion blurring her mind. She could have almost forgotten where she was and gone right back to sleep in the position she was in, if not for the horrid sound of Usagi retching forward every remnant of food that her stomach held.

"She's been puking all morning." She sighed sleepily into the phone's mouth piece, the background noise of the blonde's gags sounding as if to prove her point.

"It could be food poisoning." Ami deduced on the other side, her tone practical as always. It irked Rei's tired nerves. "I haven't heard of any stomach flu going around but that could be a possibility as well. I wouldn't worry too much about it."

Rei snorted. "Easy for you to say, your not the one being deprived of sleep." She sighed and shifted her gaze to the back of Usagi's head which protruded from the rim of the toilet. "She's the only nineteen year old I know that needs someone to comfort her while she's vomiting."

"I'm sorry Rei-chan. Why don't you let Usagi-chan's mother deal with it and get yourself some rest?"

"Shinto has school, she needs to get him ready and prepare Usagi's papa's breakfast. I can at least do this."

It was true, but in all honesty Rei was still worried about Usagi and, the thought of leaving her princess' side did not sit well with the young woman. Her dream still weighed heavy upon her mind as did the events of the previous night. Having that dream, Usagi and Haruka being attacked and, Usagi not being able to transform and then Usagi's sudden illness. All of it caused the anxiety inside Rei to grow, adding to the ominous feeling that made her own stomach turn. What the hell was going on?

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Ami reassured, in a tone that feigned brightness but seemed a bit stressed. "I've been analyzing the samples that Mina-chan brought to me this morning. It's some really bizarre stuff."

"Oh yeah?" Rei pursed her lips and reached out her hand to rub the back of Usagi's head as the young woman whimpered. "How bizarre?"

"Like nothing I've ever seen before." Ami replied, unable to keep the fascination from her voice. "This matter, it's other-wordly and, the stuff it can do... it's absolutely terrifying."

"You sound like a mad scientist Ami-chan." Rei observed as the other girl laughed uncomfortably on the other end of the line. "Try not to sound so enthused when you talk to the others."

"Right of course." Ami cleared her throat to regain her clinical composure. "You'll bring Usagi-chan here early tomorrow then?"

Rei nodded and yawned loudly, wagging her fingers over her lips. "Bright and early, so long as she lets me to get some sleep."

They said their goodbyes and Rei dropped the phone, still clutched in her hand, to the floor beside her. She looked over to find Usagi staring at her through eyes just as groggy as her own, and a lovely face paled by sickness. She had strewn her arm across the toilet like a bridge, to rest her cheek lazily upon it. One disheveled twin-tail lay across her neck and both extended to coil upon the floor around her. Rei couldn't help but smile; she really was just so utterly pathetic.

"Do you feel better?" She asked her princess and Usagi nodded weakly, a sad little look on her face that made Rei laugh. "Good, good."

She groaned with utmost exhaustion as she lifted herself onto her feet and curled her body to crack the aching bones in her back. Usagi lifted her head and, with Rei's offered assistance, she too rose to stand next to her soldier, leaning heavily upon the other woman. Usually such childish behavior would have annoyed Rei but, she couldn't find it in herself to deny her princess. After everything that had happened—everything that was still happening—it just didn't seem right.

"You really are such a baby when you're sick Usagi." Rei sighed as she assisted the young blonde out of the bathroom and across the hall back into her bedroom. "Even more so then you usually are." She chuckled and Usagi whimpered as Rei placed her back into bed.

"Have you heard from Haruka-san?" The young woman questioned as Rei crawled into the cot laid out on Usagi's floor.

Rei shook her head as she laid it upon her pillow. "No, she's probably sleeping. We all had a long, tiring night... or early morning."

"I know. It just seemed like she intended to do something I mean..." Usagi pressed her hand against her sour stomach and pulled her comforter up to her chin. "It's not like her to not bring me home herself."

"True." Rei cast her gaze toward the ceiling, listening closely as Usagi's breath evened. "Then again we all have a lot on our minds right now. I don't know if any of us know what our intentions are anymore." The young woman admitted quietly to the silence of the room, her words lost to Usagi's sleepy mind.

* * *

><p>Haruka cast out the cool summer breeze with the closing of the bar's door that rang behind her. The night was rather brisk but the atmosphere in that darkened little corner shop was stifling, Haruka removed her leather jacket immediately and approached the counter. It was a hipster-like joint, the kind of place one would expect to find people in barrets drinking black coffee and reciting poetry on the small stage along the corner of the back wall; where there was just enough light to see where you were walking as if to disguise the homemade furniture and modern art into something more pleasing to the eye.<p>

"How typical of her." Haruka simpered as she approached the counter where a thin older man with a finely pointed but graying goatee stood wiping his work station. "Double shot espresso. Has she arrived yet?"

The man ran his small eyes over Haruka before lifting a long finger and pointing across the room. She turned to cast her gaze in the direction he gestured, tossing her jacket casually over her shoulder as she squinted through the dimness. There weren't many people in the shop so, the woman Haruka sought wasn't exactly hard to find; though she'd recognize that flaming head of hair in any crowd.

She thanked the man and accepted the small cup and chipped saucer he offered her, carrying it with ease through the throng of rounded tables and wooden chairs. She set her cup down wordlessly and draped her jacket over her chair's back before she took a seat across from the woman, noticing her own coffee had gone quite untouched. Her elbow was pressed against the table so that her chin and cheek could lay in her palm, her head was hanging dully and her demeanor was relaxed. She appeared to be asleep but, because of the very large, dark tinted sunglasses with thick white rims she wore, Haruka couldn't see whether or not her eyes were shut.

So Haruka said nothing and, only sipped at her coffee, allowing it's kick to set in over her and banish the remaining grogginess she felt from much earlier that same day. The woman across from her remained still and Haruka took in her appearance; her sleek red hair was done up in a high ponytail that swept down to the small of her back, with straightened bangs that hid her forehead and cut perfectly across her eyes, two long strands on either side falling down her cheeks to her chin. Her skin was smooth, colored healthily by the sun and marred only by the small silver hoop that looped through the left side of her nose and, the tiny purple star that punctured the right side of her bottom lip. Her dress was, as she'd always liked to put it, "casual rock"; faded jeans ripped in fashionable places down her legs and a dark top that clung to her thick frame, hung off her curved shoulders and was decorated with purple lace.

"You're still so gothic." Haruka observed matter-of-factly.

"I prefer rock and roll." The woman replied evenly and straightened herself, dropping her hand to the table as she uncrossed her legs and leaned forward more comfortably. "I travel all the way here and all you can do is insult me?"

Haruka smirked and took another sip of her caffeinated beverage. "Forgive me." She set her cup down and stared straight into the woman's shielded eyes. "It's good to see you Dezy."

"Don't call me that." The woman commanded promptly. "You've got a lot of nerve Haruka." She waved an accusing finger with a short nail painted blood red, her posture becoming hostile. "You demand that I fly out to Japan for some urgent life or death crap and—stupid me—I do it. I do it even though it's got absolutely nothing to do with me, it never has and it never will!"

"Things have changed." Haruka answered, remaining calm, the redhead scoffed.

"Why, because little Miss Priss threw a tantrum and doesn't wanna play soldier? It isn't my problem that the Queen Bee decided she wasn't interested in playing a supporting role anymore, and is finally trying to steal the show."

Haruka's mouth tightened. "This isn't about you and Michiru, Dezy, this is about the princess."

"You know damn well my loyalty never lay with the princess Haruka." The woman huffed and lifted her coffee cup to her lips, sneering at the cooled liquid before setting it aside. "That was a job for her _soldiers_, not me."

"So you're still bitter then?" Haruka raised an intrigued eyebrow, she hadn't really been expecting anything less.

The woman laughed in exasperation. "Bitter isn't the right word. I'm... unsympathetic. I was never good enough before, why should now be any different?"

"I suppose I can understand that." Haruka nodded and leaned forward. "But I can't change the past Dezy, no one can. _You_ know that better then anyone." The redhead clicked her tongue against her teeth and offered a curt nod. "All I can do now is offer you a chance to alter the future."

The woman's disbelief was clear in her scoff but her interest was obvious in the tilt of her head that shifted her bangs against her glasses. "Oh yeah, how's that?"

"Something's coming; I don't know what it is, but it's already shown itself to be nothing good. We're going to have to fight again, and from what I've already gathered about the enemy, we're going to need full planetary power. But, we're down three comrades."

The woman's dark red painted lips curled into a little smirk. "The odds are against us eh?" Haruka chuckled.

"Not if we have you on our side." The woman crossed her arms proudly over her large chest. "Then they're about even." Both women chuckled. "Before, our courses were set solidly by our destinies; but now we're taking fate into our own hands. So, what I'm asking you is simply to choose your own path." Haruka reached out to the other woman, who in turn took her hand. Haruka squeezed it reassuringly as she grinned. "A path I've always known you were born for."

The woman's painted lips broke into a toothy little smile, a sly sort of grin that renewed hope in Haruka's heart. "Well I have always wanted to show you soldiers of the Moon Kingdom how a true warrior kicks some ass."

"_That's_ the Dezy I remember."

"One condition though." She interjected firmly, her lips setting into a frown as she pulled her head back to point at Haruka once again. "Stop calling me Dezy."

Haruka laughed. "Done."

* * *

><p>"<em>...police remain baffled over the unexplained disappearance of twenty-three year old university student Kenzo Takahata. Mr. Takhata—a part-time chef at a local diner—reportedly went missing sometime during his scheduled work break, and was later reported missing by his mother when he did not return home. The police have no leads..."<em>

The news reporter's commanding tone was lost upon Minako's ears, though the remote lay clutched in her hand. Seated upon Ami's modest, yet insanely comfortable couch, it was not the TV in front of her that had her attention. Rather it was the image of Makoto—her waist and legs hidden behind the modern counter that divided the kitchen from the rest of the studio apartment—buzzing about the tiny kitchen like she owned the place—that held Minako's attention. She could smell the sweet pastries Makoto had insisted on baking for everyone while they waited on Haruka to arrive. The were making her mouth water.

"Makoooooo-chaaaaaaaaaan!" Minako winced as Usagi's high-pitched whine broke her out of her hungered trance. "When will they be doooooooone?"

The young woman had draped herself eagerly over the counter to stare hungrily at the stove. Rei scowled at the image of Usagi's rear end poking into the air as her feet flailed. She was apparently still in a sour mood. Though that was nothing new. Ami just giggled from her place knelt beside her finely carved coffee table in front of the couch Rei and Minako occupied, oddly close to one another.

"Soon Usagi-chan, very soon!" Makoto chimed brightly, being extremely patient with her extremely inpatient friend.

"I don't see how she can eat now; she was throwing up again just this morning. She'll never change." Rei scoffed and turned her head back to the TV, a strange look upon her face. "She'll always be a child, an incompetent idiot we'll always have to protect." She ranted on but, the usual displeasure was missing from her expression. Instead Rei looked distraught and, Minkao could tell the young woman's mind was still plagued.

"That's true." Ami chimed in an understanding tone; she'd also picked up on her companion's troubling demeanor. "But that's what we were born to do is it not?"

Rei looked at her, her shapely lips puckered in thought as she gave a slow nod. Whether it was Ami's words or the gentle touch Minako offered her shoulder that comforted the raven haired beauty, she couldn't say.

"So where is Haruka-san anyway?" Rei questioned in a more relaxed tone, promptly changing the subject.

"I'm not sure." Ami shrugged and went back to jotting down notes into the notebook that lay on the table. She was studying as usual. "All she would say was that she had to be somewhere, but would be here as soon as possible. Apparently she has something up her sleeve, at least that's what I gathered from her secretive behavior."

"You think she knows something about the enemy?" Minako pondered out loud and Ami shrugged again, adjusting her glasses but never raising her eyes from her notes.

"I'm not sure but, I doubt that was it."

The _**ding **_of the timer Makoto had set for her pastries was drowned out slightly by a knock at the front door. Ever the polite hostess, it was Ami who set aside her studies and rose to greet the guest, opening her door to reveal a pleasant looking Haruka.

"There you are." The young woman smiled. "We were just talking about you." Her intelligent blue eyes shifted over Haruka's shoulder to catch the smiling face of a pretty redhead with striking gold eyes. She stepped aside to let the two in, closing the door behind them. "Hello, I'm Mizuno Ami."

Ami offered her hand politely to Haruka's companion. "Nice to meet you." She gave a polite little nod but before she could offer an introduction, the others had come to the door.

"Haruka-san, who is this?" Rei asked rather rudely, but the woman seemed unfazed, offering up a small smirk.

"Yeah, you know this is a meeting..." Minako looked at the stranger with a bit of concern as she leaned in and lowered her voice. "to discuss _official Sailor _business." She had whispered it, but perfectly loud enough for everyone to hear and, it made the redhead laugh.

"No worries Mina, she's an ally." Haruka explained passively as Minako wrinkled her nose in disbelief, shooting a look to Rei who puckered her lips just as skeptically. Ami just stared on with obvious interest. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet-"

"Mako-chaaaaan, let me have one!" Haruka's introduction was cut off by the stabbing sound of Usagi's whines. All eyes turned to watch as the young woman hung over her friend's shoulder, watching hungrily as Makoto pulled her pastries from the oven.

"Usagi-chan, you have to wait until they cool down!" Makoto laughed and turned her head round imploringly, as if to silently beg the others for help.

But Makoto's expression of distress fell into that of utter shock. Her green eyes practically bulged from her head and, much to Usagi's dismay, her mit-covered wrists lagged and tilted the hot oven sheet forward to send the tasty treats she had just baked sliding the the kitchen floor. Usagi wailed in mourning, crouching down to try and save her poor snack, only to squeal repeatedly as the flaky treats burned her fingertips.

Haruka marched forward, entering the kitchen area just as Makoto exited after discarding her pan carelessly to the stove top. The tall brunette stopped right in front of the redhead, towering over the petite young woman who stood a head shorter and stared up at Makoto with a soft, strange sort of smile. It was almost as if they knew one another and, that confused the rest of the girls greatly.

"Usagi, leave them alone, you're burning your hands." Haruka was heard speaking to her princess in a bewildered, yet comforting tone as the young girl cried.

"But-But Haruka-saaaan!" She whimpered pathetically and hiccuped through tiny sobs. "They're so goooood! I-it-it isn't faaaaair!"

Rei gritted her teeth and Minako pouted, she too was quite sad over the loss of their afternoon snack. Ami just smiled and gave an awkward sort of laugh, moving toward Makoto to touch her comrades shoulder. The girl was frozen in place in front of the stranger who had entered with Haruka. Her lips hung apart, as if trying to find words but unable to find the strength to form her mouth around them.

"Mako-chan." Ami asked quietly, a bit concerned about her friend's well being, and rightfully so. "Are you all right?"

The redhead tilted her head and a strangled sort of squeal ripped forth from Makoto's throat. "Despo!" She shouted, causing Ami to jump back, startled. She lifted a finger and pointed at the smirking copper-top. "You're Despo!"

"Who the hell is Despo?" Rei demanded and looked toward Minako who shrugged.

"She is!" Makoto shouted as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She was practically sobbing as she drew her hand back, and clamped it over her mouth to smother the scream rising in her throat.

"That American singer you like?" Ami questioned as she looked toward the stranger, who nodded silently to confirm the inquiry.

"My name is Despo DiVahl." The woman said with a smile and, Makoto—who by then was crying tears of joy—nodded her head rapidly, her hand still over her mouth.

"She's the new Sailor Neptune." All eyes (except Makoto's) turned to Haruka, finding the older woman had stood, her arm consolingly around a whimpering Usagi as they left the kitchen area.

"Excuse me?" Rei demanded at Haruka as Minako and Ami turned their attention toward Despo. "What are you talking about Haruka?"

"You can't just recruit members." Minako continued. "It doesn't work like that. They have to be chosen. Not by us but by, like... the Universe or something."

Ami nodded. "It's true."

"Trust me _the Universe_ will choose her." Haruka stated surely. Usagi too now looked upon the groups' new "comrade", but her mind was still back in the kitchen with the tasty turnovers that lay carelessly on the floor. She returned the woman's smile though instinctively.

"What makes you so sure?" Rei challenged, clearly unconvinced.

Haruka looked toward the other girl, her expression quite plain. "Because, she is Michiru's sister."

Rei blanched, Minako gasped and Ami responded with an appropriate "Oh my!", each girl once again returning their gaze to the dark-skinned redhead. The woman seemed quite undeterred by all the attention. Usagi's sniveling ceased and, the young girl grew unusually quiet as she stared at the woman. Michiru's sister...

"Half sister actually." She stressed with a little smirk. A short moment of disbelieving silence followed.

"Wonderful!" It was Makoto who spoke—actually shouted—first, her excitement more then evident. She didn't even seem to hear the part about how the woman was related to Michuru. She advanced forward to take the hands of the much shorter female, gratefully into her grasp, beaming brightly. "Welcome to the team Despo! I adore your music. Family ties aside, you're an inspiration!"

Despo responded with a gentle amused smile, the heat that radiated from her molten yellow eyes prompted a feverish tint in the tall brunette's cheeks.

"Thank you." She squeezed Makoto's hands appreciatively and did not immediately relinquish her hold. But Makoto didn't seem to notice or mind, she seemed entranced by her idol and the singer seemed to enjoy every moment of it.

"Wait, wait, wait." Rei waved her hands through the air in protest. "This doesn't make any sense. Even if she is Michiru's sister-"

"Half sister." Despo corrected, finally releasing her hold upon a disappointed Makoto.

"Whatever." Rei wrinkled her nose disdainfully at being interrupted. "That doesn't mean she can be a soldier."

"Yes, only the holy elite can be soldiers of the Moon Kingdom." Despo mocked, earning a haughty glare from Rei.

Ami cut in as the ever-present voice of reason. "Perhaps we should consult Luna and Artemis?"

"No need." Haruka sighed, growing a bit agitated. "Setsuna left Michiru's morphing pen in my possession before returning to her realm to watch over these new occurrences. It has chosen Despo." She nodded her head toward the woman. "Show them."

Reaching into the back pocket of her jeans, Despo pulled forth Michiru's old transformation pen. She held it up in her palm for all the girls to see and instantly the trinket responded. A strange blue glow emanated from the object, matching the light that shone through the strands of the woman's bangs. Neptune's symbol glowed in the middle of her forehead.

"Satisfied?" She questioned, closing her fingers over the pen to still it's warm light. The symbol on her forehead evaporated as she returned the pen to her back pocket.

"I'm convinced." Minako shrugged and offered her hand to the woman who promptly took it in a firm shake. "Welcome to the team. I'm Minako—Soldier of love and beauty—Sailor Venus." Minako smiled vibrantly.

Ami smiled as well. "Yes welcome. I'm Sailor Mercury."

"Another ally can't hurt." Rei offered, stubbornly crossing her arms around her chest. She did not seem pleased. "I'm Rei, Sailor Mars."

"You're related to Michiru?" Usagi questioned, a vacant sort of expression overtaking her face.

Despo regarded the young blonde who's eyes had drifted to the ground, her gaze shifting to Haruka as she stroked her hand along Usagi's shoulder. The newly discovered ally stepped toward Usagi, giving a slow nod.

"Yes I am." She stated quietly, tilting her head just slightly to catch Usagi's eyes. She looked up to find Despo had held up her hand, exposing her palm in offering. "Nothing I could say can rectify what she has done to you." She spoke gently and an air of sorrow surrounded the two girls, separating them briefly from the group. "All I can do is pledge every bit of my loyalty to you, Princess Serenity." She spoke so formally and with such eloquence that a strange sort of nostalgia settled over Usagi and even the other girls who were mere spectators. In that moment they all knew—despite ties and inexperience—Despo belonged with them.

A sad yet thankful sort of smile touched Usagi's lips, crinkling her eyes against the tears that had begun to form there. "Thank you." She sniffled and lifted her hand to place it within the redhead's grasp.

For a moment Despo's eyes widened, and she squeezed Usagi's hand so tightly that the young girl gasped and jerked to pull it free. The group watched with obvious confusion as Haruka took Usagi's assaulted hand instantly, looking from it to Despo quizzically.

"Despo, are you alright?" Haruka asked and the other woman's wide eyes blinked stiffly.

"Y-yes, sorry." She forced a little laugh and touched a hand to her stomach. "Something just isn't sitting right in my tummy." Usagi stared with pouty confusion. "Haruka, can you show me where the bathroom is?" She looked at her friend, a very strange, almost frantic expression upon her face.

"Oh, it's that door right down the hallway." Ami cut in, gesturing toward the hallway off of the living room.

"Right!" Despo looked to Ami with that same forced smile. "Haruka?" She looked back toward the woman and, without waiting for a response Despo walked forward. She hooked an arm inside her friends and dragged her forcefully away from the group.

Usagi's pout deepened as she staggered with the momentum of having her guardian pulled so suddenly away from her. She turned, as did the others, to watch as Despo dragged a protesting Haruka right into Ami's bathroom and closed the door securely behind them.

Usagi whined and stretched her fingers. "She hurt my hand."

"She's very strange." Ami commented softly and Minako nodded in agreement.

"She's a freak." Rei stated more loudly.

"She's an artist." Makoto defended with an admiring little smile. "Artists are always pretty eccentric." Minako rolled her eyes and Ami pursed her lips.

Rei sighed. "You're such a fan girl Mako-chan."

But before Makoto could jump to her own defense, the bathroom door opened and Haruka came stalking out with Despo close behind. The redhead had regained her composure and smiled very sweetly at the group. But Haruka had seemed to absorb the woman's panic and, like Despo had, was gawking at Usagi as if she had morphed into some odd creature.

"What?" Usagi squeaked, a look of confusion and fright twisting her features. She looked to the other girls in question, but none of them seemed to see anything wrong with her and, looked equally as baffled.

"I'll be right back." With that, Haruka brushed past the girls with uncharacteristic haste and gusted out the front door in a hurry.

There eyes followed the woman's quick retreat and once she was gone, each girl's eyes turned to Despo as if expecting an explanation. But it was like the woman was completely unaware of the commotion she had just started. She appeared quite unaffected and shifted her eyes innocently toward the kitchen area.

"Something smells delicious in there." She commented cheerfully. "May I?" She requested and with Ami's nod headed for the kitchen. Makoto followed close behind.

"She really is a weirdo." Minako whispered (still not quite secretively) over Rei's shoulder.

"And she's rubbing off on Haruka." Rei confirmed much more quietly.

Usagi whimpered. "My hand still kind of hurts." As she headed into the kitchen after Makoto and Despo.

"I had baked some cherry turnovers. But in my excitement, it seems I dropped them all on the floor." Makoto explained with a hefty bit of embarrassment.

"That's fine." Despo shrugged and leaned over to retrieve two of the cooled pastries from the floor. "A little dirt never killed anyone, and I trust Ami's floors are clean enough." She looked toward Ami who stood on the other side of the counter baring an awkward sort of smile as she nodded at Despo. "What do you say Usagi? I bet it'll make your hand feel better."

With the offering of the sweet treat Usagi cheered up instantly as she accepted it. It seemed her new soldier had already found Usagi's greatest weakness; sweets. It was pleasantly warm to the touch and, it's sweet smell made her mouth water. But before Usagi could take a savory, bite the front door flew open. She turned around, mouth agape in wait of the delicious pastry she held toward it to find that Haruka stood in the doorway, clutching a small brown bag.

"That was fast." Minako commented from her new position beside the couch with Rei. But Haruka paid the girl no mind.

Instead she marched straight over to Usagi, grabbed the younger girl by the wrist and pulled her unceremoniously out of the kitchen and across the living room.

"Haruka-saaan!" Usagi whined, her arm outstretched toward the cherry turnover that had once again been dropped to the floor. "What are you dooo-iiii-ng?" Her complaint stretched out until she and Haruka were in the bathroom, the shut door drowning out there voices.

Once again, all eyes were on the bathroom, staring in utter confusion over what had happened.

"What the hell is going on?" Rei demanded, looking at Minako who only shrugged and looked toward Ami. Ami in turn looked at Makoto who was too busy staring dewy-eyed at Despo, as the rock idol chomped away at her pastry, to notice that anything was even amiss.

"We were supposed to be having a meeting, but now we're just participating in this bizarre little show." Minako frowned as she moved around the couch to plop down.

"I wonder what they're doing in there." Rei pondered out loud as she leaned herself into the couches arm closest to Minako. "Your bathroom's a hot-spot today Ami."

"Well I rather enjoy it after a long day." Ami giggled. "My bathtub has jet streams, they're very relaxing.

"You don't think they're taking a bath together do you?" Minako bore a scandalized sort of grin that made Ami blush feverishly.

"Yeah, maybe they're healing their broken hearts in the soothing waters of your jet streams Ami-chan." Rei joined in on the fun, practically turning Ami's face purple.

"I-I... certainly h-hope not." She stammered, drumming her fingers nervously against her lips. Rei and Minako laughed.

"Do you like them Despo-san?" Makoto's earnest voice was heard from the kitchen. The redhead nodded with a mouthful of cherry filling.

It was just a few minutes later when the bathroom door jerked open and Haruka came out. The expression she wore was familiar to the girls; stoic, yet her complexion had grown a bit ashen. As if she had spent the time in the bathroom getting sick. She walked into the living room, giving a hard sort of stare toward Despo, who looked on with firm understanding.

Ami walked toward the tall blonde soldier. "Haruka, is everything-" But she paused and the other girls stared around her to watch as Usagi came out of the bathroom and walked out into the living room to stand beside Haruka.

Usagi's face had taken on a pink glow and her expression was that of utter disbelief. The others took no notice, but Ami's eyes were instantly drawn to the thin piece of plastic Usagi clenched in her fist.

Ami gaped. "Usagi-chan! Is... Is that..." She trailed off as Usagi's teary blue gaze rose to meet Ami's bewildered face.

"What is it?" Makoto called from the kitchen but Usagi's eyes did not look her way. They'd grown distant as the tears, which prompted Minako and Rei to rise, slipped down her cheeks.

Her whisper was just barely audible, but plainly heard in the awaiting quiet of the room. "I'm pregnant."

An explosion of shock and emotion filled the room as Usagi sank against Haruka's side, heaving sobs of the purest joy and greatest relief into her soldier's chest. The older woman held Usagi in a secure embrace, shutting her eyes against the tears that threatened to fall as she lay her cheek against the top of her princess' head.

_If I could flow like the wind I would reach you._

_If I could shine like a moon I would keep shining on you._

_I'll be anything if it can stop you from being seized with fear._

_-Moments _by Ayumi Hamasaki

* * *

><p>Bet you didn't see that one coming eh? You know you love these cliffhangers.<p>

Greeting my faithful readers, I apologize for the extended lateness of this chapter but, I've been dealing with a hefty amount of bullsh*t these past few months. Between family drama, relationship distractions and financial troubles I've been quite stressed out. But I'm back to writing and, hopefully I can manage to regain my previous pace so as not to keep everyone waiting.

I hope you enjoyed all the twists and turns so far. There are still plenty more shocks to come so, hopefully you guys will bear with me. I know this probably wasn't the route you all expected the story to take, but hopefully you're intrigued enough to keep reading. So until next chapter I wish you all (and myself) a stress-free month ahead!

**Review please C:**


	7. A Crazy Proposal

**Chapter Seven**

**A Crazy Proposal**

_Your heart began to be scorched, and there was a smell of it._

_It was the end of your dream, and the start of everything…_

_-Moments_ by Ayumi Hamasaki

The silence in the room was overwhelming, the absolute quite nearly stifling, yet no one dared break it. No one knew what to say.

It had been like that for nearly twenty minutes, ever since Usagi claimed a sudden urge for air and excused herself from the group to step outside of the apartment. Haruka had wanted to follow her, that had been obvious to everyone, yet she had allowed Usagi to go alone. Strange, but no one said anything about it. No one asked her why she stood in front of the glass sliding doors that led to Ami's porch, just staring up at the peach colored sky as the sun set over Tokyo, rather then go after her princess.

But how could they ask when not one of them could muster up the courage to go and talk to Usagi either? When not one of them could think of anything to say to her. She was pregnant. Their princess was pregnant, long before she was destined to bring about her heir to the Moon Kingdom's throne. How could this be? What was happening in their world?

"This is too weird..." It was Minako who finally broke the silence, a troubled look twisting her pretty face.

"That's one word for it." Despo commented from her place beside Haruka. With Ami's permission, she had pulled up a kitchen chair and, slid the glass door open to let the smoke from her cigarette drift out into the swiftly cooling air. She took a drag and blew smoke from her puckered lips.

"How is this even possible?" Rei sighed, shaking her head in disbelief.

Despo smirked. "Well you see Rei; when a man and a woman love each other very much-"

"Stop it Despo." Haruka commanded curtly. But the redhead's smirk never wavered as she watched the way that Rei seethed in her spot on the couch. The only thing that seemed to be keeping her quiet was Minako's hand softly gripping her knee.

"Well, Usagi and Mamoru have been an item for quite a long time." Ami mumbled, seemingly more to herself then to the rest of the group. Though her glasses lay perched upon her nose, instead of mirroring one of her many books, her eyes instead stared intently at the tops of her knees that curled toward her chest. She sat upon the floor, her back pressed into the edge of her coffee table and her arms around her shins. "It is only natural that they would..." Her cheeks flushed pink and she was unable to complete her sentence.

"But this is Usagi we're talking about!" Makoto chimed in. She had sat herself right on top of the coffee table, her legs straightened and dangling open casually in front of her. "She can't even say the word _penis_ without giggling. Who'd have thought she and Mamoru were actually having sex?"

She voiced the question so nonchalantly as she tilted her head backward to stare at the ceiling. The discomfort in the room seemed to grow. But Makoto had only voiced what the other girls had silently been wondering.

"It's like the plot of everyone of those perverted little graphic novels you Japanese seem to love so much." Despo simpered as she dropped her finished cigarette into the small cup of water she had been using as her ashtray. "It's always the innocent ones." Makoto smiled and nodded her agreement.

"Everything's just one big joke to you isn't it?" Rei glared over at the redhead and Despo merely shrugged.

"The world is a funny place."

"Oh _hilarious_." Rei sneered and Minako gripped her knee even tighter. "What I'm interested in knowing Despo, is how the hell you knew Usagi was pregnant. It's obvious by the way you acted. That was why you pulled Haruka into the bathroom isn't it? You told her, or do you expect us to believe that Haruka ran out to buy a pregnancy test on a hunch?"

"I've been wondering the same thing actually." Ami admitted, raising her eyes to Despo.

The woman simply stared at her cup and nodded. "It's true."

"How could you possibly have known?" Minako spoke up. "All you did was shake her hand."

"I'm the same as Michiru." Despo admitted, raising her eyes to stare up toward the sky. "She knows things or, rather she feels them. But my premonitions are more intense and, only experienced through touch. I saw the life growing inside Usagi. I saw her daughter when I held her hand."

The room fell into silence as the girls absorbed the truth. It wasn't hard to believe, in their years as Sailor Soldiers, they had heard far more unusual things. So the thought of Despo having such abilities wasn't what plagued them. The changes happening in their world, the effects such changes were having on their princess, those were far more pressing matters.

"Regardless of all this, we came here for a reason." Minako spoke up and clasped her hands over her thighs. "Ami-chan, you have information to share with us about the new enemy don't you?"

The bespectacled girl nodded swiftly. "Yes, yes right." She pushed herself up off the floor and turned to Minako. "I've been analyzing the matter attached to the dead tree branch you brought me that night. It's remarkable stuff, terrifying really." She explained, with more zealous then was perhaps necessary.

"Usagi-chan should hear this too, shouldn't she?" Makoto questioned and Ami nodded once more.

"Of course, I'll go get her." Ami agreed and headed for the front door.

"Well this has certainly been an interesting night." Despo commented to Haruka, who pinched her nose and closed her eyes through a long-winded sigh. "You weren't kidding when you said you guys needed help."

"I hardly see how you're offering any help." Rei cut in, drawing Despo's golden eyes her way.

"Do you have a problem with me Rei?" The redhead asked, clearly more then a little bit amused.

"As a matter of fact-"

"Rei-chan..." Minako's stressed whisper cut her off, prompting the raven haired beauty to look her way.

"She's so full of herself, it's obnoxious!" She defended, none to quietly.

Despo laughed. "Funny, I was thinking the exact same thing about you." Haruka sighed once more and Makoto raised her hand to shelter her amused little smile. Rei bit the inside of her cheek, enraged as she turned upon her newest comrade, garnering an annoyed eye roll from Minako.

"You know what? You-"

But Rei was cut off as the front door swung open and Ami came tripping over the threshold. There was barely time for anyone to look her way before she called into the room.

"Usagi-chan isn't outside! I can't find her anywhere!"

"Maybe she decided to go home." Despo offered, clearly unconcerned. The fierce dislike in Rei's gaze sent chills through the room.

"Well she did get some pretty shocking news tonight." Makoto reasoned, trying to break the friction shooting around Ami's apartment. "She's probably emotionally exhausted!"

"Perhaps..." Ami agreed, though she still appeared troubled and did not stray from her place in the doorway.

"I know where she's gone." All eyes drew toward Haruka. She had turned her back on the glass doors, her face fixed in a hard, unpleasant sort of look. "We have to go after her."

* * *

><p><strong>Ding<strong>

The elevator doors folded back in cold welcome but, Usagi was hesitant to venture through them. She had gone there for a reason but, having arrived she was growing steadily more unsure of herself. She'd ridden that elevator hundreds of times, never once feeling apprehensive about it. But that was back when everything in her world made sense. Things were different, her world had changed.

Mamoru's apartment no longer held the appeal of a second home for Usagi. Standing in that elevator, there was no joy in the thought of entering the home of her fated beloved. It had changed from a safe haven, to a dwelling haunted by the ghost of an unspeakable heartache. That apartment was where her dreams had shattered into jagged glass.

The elevator doors began to close and Usagi staggered forward through them into the hallway. She huffed panicked breaths, feeling her heart hammer painfully in her chest. She felt ridiculous, but the thought of facing Mamoru sent the poor girl into hysterics. She wanted to cry. She didn't want to see him, but it had to be done.

Her legs were jelly as they carried her across the hall to his door, her eyes glazed with tears but set in a hard stare. She had to be strong. A hand rose to her belly and, taking comfort in the life she now knew grew inside it, Usagi straightened her back proudly and rose her head. It didn't matter what had happened then, all that mattered was Chibiusa and the future destiny had promised her.

She knocked—having left her key behind the night she had fled the apartment—and waited with even breaths for the awkward meeting she anticipated. But Mamoru did not come to the door. Again Usagi knocked, louder this time but, still there was no answer.

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi called out, giving a few loud pounds with the edge of her fist to the door. "Mamo-chan I need to talk to you!"

There was no reply from the other side of the door, no sounds of movement. He had to be home, Usagi knew he was not scheduled to be at the hospital that night. Had he gone out? Was what had happened between them so trivial in his eyes that he could go on with daily life without the slightest inkling of regret? Or was he ignoring her? Was he laying quietly behind the door, pretending he didn't hear? Was Michiru wrapped in his arms?

The thought made Usagi's heart ache so severely that she couldn't help but to curl in upon herself. Her palm flattened and pressed against the door, holding her upright as her free hand clutched at the loose powder blue sweater draped over her throbbing chest. The pain was overwhelming so much so that Usagi could no longer hold in the tears lingering inside her reddened eyelids.

"Mamo-chan..." A strangled cry past her lips as her forehead rested against the door. "Mamo-chan!" She shouted, pounding her fist against the door. "Mamo-chan! Mamo-chan!" She screamed over and over, beating both her fists into the wood, sinking toward the floor until she had fallen to her knees.

She hung her head then, cradling her swollen, sobbing face into her hands. Her desperate wails echoed around the hallway, mocking her as she sat in front of his door—her side propped against it—and cried until her lungs were raw. She was pathetic. She was a fool. She was weak. So weak, too weak to deal with such a harsh reality of life. There were no such things as star-crossed lovers, and fairytale endings were meant only for books to lull little girls to sleep at night. In the real world, not even a princess could find everlasting love.

"I'm pregnant." Her voice was cracked and hoarse as she whispered the words, her cheek pressed against the door. "I'm pregnant Mamo-chan." She said a little louder, not bothering to wipe away the tears that inflamed her cheeks. "Chibiusa is coming." She lifted her trembling hand, staring blurry-eyed at the small ring that encompassed her finger. "Our future is almost here. What am I supposed to do without you?" She asked quietly, privately, as if searching desperately within herself for the answer. "I can't do this alone." She hiccuped, pressing her face into her palm once more as renewed tears shook her shoulders.

"Silly kitten." A sighing drawl brought Usagi's head up and with a sniffle she craned her neck around to find Haruka standing in the hallway. The others lingered behind her, all bearing similar expressions of sorrow and support, Minako was actually in tears.

"Haruka-san? Everyone, why-" Usagi's face was confused, her voice questioning.

"You're not alone Princess." Haruka answered as she stepped toward her, crouching down to bring their blue gazes at level. She reached out a hand to stroke her gentle fingers along Usagi's warm, wet face, gathering the tears that marred it. "I'm right here." She flashed that elegant smile that made Usagi's stomach flutter, her eyes glowing with their comforting wisdom that helped to hide the sadness in her soul.

"And we're right over here." Despo called nonchalantly with a careless wave of her arm so as not to be forgotten. Rei glared moodily but, Minako hooked their arms to keep the woman quiet as she swiped at the tears in her eyes. It made Usagi laugh just slightly through her own tears.

Haruka cast the group a look, feigning an easy-going laugh, though there was something almost embarrassed about it . "Yes, we're all here." She corrected as she made to stand upright, taking Usagi's hand carefully to take the younger girl with her. "And we're going to take care of you." She assured, swinging out her other hand to pat Usagi's stomach lightly. "The both of you."

Usagi laughed again, this time more heartfelt as she rubbed the moisture from her cheeks with one hand. The utter hopelessness that had gripped her heart was quickly dissipating with the reassuring squeeze Haruka offered her hand. She drew her head back, staring up at her oldest and wisest soldier with a soft smile touching her lips. Maybe it was her age and experience that offered Usagi so much comfort and reassurance. Maybe it was the calming serenity that shone in her eyes, mingled with a tragic sort of understanding that made Usagi feel an intense sort of kinship. Greater then she had ever felt with her other soldiers.

They were all in this together but, more then anything it was Usagi and Haruka who held the greatest stake in all that had happened. They had both lost so much, had both found themselves scorned by the harsh reality that was life and love. Yet there Haruka was, planted firmly on her feet, an unwavering and unyielding pillar against the waves of hardship that bore upon them, keeping Usagi from being swept away. Her strength was inspiring, contagious almost, for the tremble that rocked Usagi's soul had passed. With Haruka holding her hand Usagi felt as if she could not only face the ugliness before her, but that she would indeed overcome it.

"Thank you." She breathed the word softly, privately and in reply Haruka nodded. Her regal mouth curled into the softest of smiles that made her deep sapphire eyes radiate light. Usagi felt her heart flutter. "All of you." She tore her eyes away to look toward her other soldiers, her cheeks flushed with her previous sorrow and a strange heat the garnered from her belly.

Makoto was grinning broadly, cocky as always though there was a teasing glint in her green eyes. Ami's smile was small and girlish in comparison, her cheeks kissed by a soft shade of pink and a telling look in her all knowing eyes. It made Usagi feel oddly exposed so that when Despo winked at her, her embarrassment was more then clear. Rei's smile was forced, her demeanor still rather hostile. It was obvious that the tension that had grown between she and the group's newest affiliate would not be quick to release.

"We are going to have so much fun!" Minako squealed as she shot forward, claiming Usagi's hand from Haruka to grasp both her palms as she bounced excitedly. "Baby shopping is the best kind of shopping! We're going to get Chibiusa soooo many cute things!" She gushed and a long absent excitement overtook Usagi.

"Pink! Pink _everywhere_!" She exclaimed, joining in on Minako's dance of motherhood joy. "Bows and ribbons and frill!"

"She'll look like a lolita shop vomited on her and it will be the cutest thing ever!" Minako agreed, pulling Usagi in close as they both began to hop around and shriek merrily.

"Well I guess everything's back to normal. Sorta." Makoto laughed as Ami bounced happily in her place beside her, clapping her hands rapidly.

"Oh and books! Don't forget the books! She'll have all the classic childrens' tales known in literature!" Usagi and Minako paused to look toward their bookworm friend with animated disapproval. Ami blanched. "With pictures of course."

The vivacious blonde duo gave a high-pitched cry of approval, pulling a surprised Ami into a twirling three way circular hug of joy. The others laughed genuinely. Finally, after so many days of worry and stress, there was some happiness to be shared.

"What the hell is all this racket?" A gruff voice cut through the girls' merriment. "I just got three different complaints about girls crying and screaming on this floor." Every female in the hallway turned their eyes upon an elderly man seeming intent on breaking up their little party. He was short, whether from genetics or age no one could say and, what little hair he did have left surrounded the crown of his head and was a peppery, unattractive gray. He wore a scowl on his face, yet it looked so natural with his features that it was hard to tell if he really was all that upset or, if that was just the way he looked normally.

"I'm sorry Nagashi-sama." Usagi straightened her stance and released her hold on Minako and Ami. She turned to face the man, her embarrassment clear as she gave a curt bow and an awkward sort of laugh. "We didn't mean to cause trouble." He was the building's manager.

"Oh it's you." The old man spat and rolled his eyes. It was not the first time he's crossed paths with Usagi and, clearly those times had been just as unpleasant for him. "What are you doing here? Figured I wouldn't have to see you again what with Chiba moving out."

"Moved out?" Makoto questioned. "When did he move out?"

"Why are you bothering me with questions?" Nagashi scoffed. "She's his girlfriend, shouldn't she know?" He wagged an almost accusing finger in Usagi's direction, but she didn't notice.

Her gaze had cast itself to the tip of her toes, a baffled and hurt expression twisting her pretty face. Collectively the other girls glared at the insensitive old man, static tension filling the hallway to the brim. Nagashi obviously felt it and seemed to grow more docile under the six murderous stares that were bearing upon him.

"About two days ago." He corrected with a particularly nasty clearing of his throat. "He's supposed to come back to claim his security deposit and the rest of his mail. Hasn't shown up yet."

Haruka moved to Usagi's side, touching a hand softly to the young girl's shoulder. She kept her head hung for a minute longer and, when she rose it, her eyes turned up to her tall soldier's face. A sad smile curled Usagi's lips, but there was resilience in her eyes as she touched her fingers together.

"When he returns..." Usagi began as she looked toward the old man and held out her hand to him. "Will you give him this?"

Nagashi reached out, far too intimidated by the young women confronting him to refuse and took from her fingers the small ring that had symbolized the love Usagi and Mamoru had shared. He nodded once, turned and headed off down the hallway. With Haruka by her side and the rest of the girls following in tow, Usagi made her way back to the elevator. A strange sort of emptiness had filled her in letting go of the ring she had so cherished for so long. Yet Usagi felt strangely at peace without it and, entwined her newly free fingers over her belly.

"I'm proud of you Princess." Haruka said quietly as they boarded the elevator.

Rei nodded her agreement. "A strong woman has no need for a man." She kept her eyes forward, even after noticing the funny look Minako was giving her.

"Well studies show that a child does flourish when there is both a strong male and female figure in their life." Ami mentioned tactlessly, earning a swat to the shoulder from Makoto. "Ah-oh but that's not always the case of course!" She laughed awkwardly.

"Don't sweat it Ami, Haruka's all the male-figure that kid will ever need." Despo laughed, prideful of her own comedy as Haruka gave a mildly amused snort.

"I just thought of something." Usagi broke through the lighthearted conversation, her voice the epitome of strain and anxiety. She threw her head back, groaning pitifully as the elevator doors closed. "What am I gonna tell my parents?"

* * *

><p>"I can't believe I let you talk me into this!" Usagi uttered in a panicked whisper, ringing her hands in her lap.<p>

She could not remember a time when she had felt more anxiety then she did on that day, sitting on the couch in her own living room. Her heart was hammering so hard against her ribcage she swore she could feel her bones cracking under the pressure. Haruka seemed regally blassé as always, which only added to Usagi's stress. How could she possibly be so calm?

"I can't say I'm happy about it either." Luna piped up from her place beside Usagi. Her feline posture was rigid, making her appear less as a cat and more like an unhappy mother-in-law. "This-this _situation_ is so troublesome. I'm both completely overjoyed and extremely upset." She huffed.

"You two are worrying too much." Haruka sighed, garnering a hard look from both Usagi and Luna, which she brushed off easily with a shrug of broad manly shoulders. "Everything will be fine."

"Fine, fine you say? Have you looked at yourself? This is ridiculous. A completely misuse of power!" Luna scolded and for once, Usagi agreed with her.

The person who sat beside her—acting completely unaffected by the crisis before them—was indeed Haruka. Yet it wasn't. By appearances, the person who shared the couch with Usagi was Mamoru, at least that was what Usagi's parents' would see. Yes, that had been Haruka's brilliant plan; use the disguise pen to pose as Mamoru and accompany Usagi when she informed them of her condition. That way, everything would seem at least somewhat normal.

It was an idiotic plan. Usagi had been the first to point that out, surprisingly enough. But, with lack of a better one put forward and, not wanting to have to explain the truth to her parents, it was the one they had gone with.

"If it's to help the princess, I hardly see how it's an abuse of power." Haruka challenged mildly. Luna did not argue but, she was still obviously very unhappy.

"Tea's ready!" Usagi's mother sang cheerfully as she entered the room, stilling any further conversation on the matter. She brandished a tray containing a lovely little tea set, setting it down on the coffee table. "Your father should be home any minute now." She explained, serving Haruka a cup with a hostess' smile.

"Thank you." Haruka bowed her head and accepted the tea. She had dropped her voice an octave to sound more manly and, she had achieved her goal but, she didn't sound a thing like Mamoru. Usagi's mother didn't notice of course.

She didn't notice any of the telltale signs that the person who sat in front of her was not the person she pretended to be. But then, how could she? They were such small details that hardly anyone would notice. Usagi did though. In Haruka's high society posture, in the delicate way she sipped her tea and in the deep blue eyes that looked her way, crinkling with a soft smile. They were not Mamoru's eyes at all. Yet they still made Usagi's heart feel warm and her face feel flush.

"So Mamo-chan, how are things at the hospital?" Usagi's mother inquired as she claimed the chair to the side of the couch where Haruka sat.

"Oh fine." Haruka said conversationally. "The hours are long and, the work is stressful. But I really feel like I'm making a difference." She continued, her voice oozing false modesty. Usagi had to bite the inside of her lip to keep from rolling her eyes.

"Ah yes, being a doctor is such an important and admirable job." Usagi's mother gushed with a proud smile that wold make one think Mamoru was her own child. Usagi couldn't help but feel a pang of jeaousy.

"Thank you." Haruka bowed her head appreciatively.

"Oh! I think I hear your father." Usagi's mother flapped her hands and rose to her feet, excusing herself from the room.

"I think I'm going to vomit." Usagi confessed quietly. Her hands were trembling violently.

"Morning sickness?" Luna asked, turning to her with concern.

"Princess." Usagi heard Haruka's whisper close to her ear, feeling her warm breath breeze down the back of her neck. She turned to her soldier, to find Mamoru's face hovering close to her own, it made Usagi's stomach jump unpleasantly. But the large hand that encompassed both of Usagi's in it's own, sent a jolt to Usagi's heart to make it pitter-patter once more. It was gentle, soothing, feminine. "It will be alright." Mamoru told her in Haruka's voice, with Haruka's touch.

Usagi nodded her head, the corner of her lips turning up just slightly into something of a smile. She didn't notice her parents entering the living room. Only when her father cleared his throat loudly could she manage to tear her eyes away from the depths of Haruka's. She looked up to find her father glaring first at their touching hands, then straight into Haruka's face with something of a disapproving scowl. Her father never really had warmed up to Mamoru, or rather the idea of his only daughter having a boyfriend.

"What's this all about?" His suspicion was obvious as he claimed the chair. Usagi's mother came to sit beside her, shooing Luna away carefully. Luna hopped from the couch, but found a new spot to sit below the coffee table. She would not leave Usagi.

"Daddy..." Usagi began, her voice cracking. Haruka's squeezed her hands comfortingly. Her father's eyes were mere slits. "I... we have some-something to tell you." Her mind was in a frenzy, her stomach was in knots and, Usagi was sure that if she hadn't have had Haruka to lean against, she would have keeled over. "I'mpregnant,you'reagrandfathercongradulation s." She spat it out so quickly, she wasn't sure her father would be able to decipher what she had said.

The wide eyes reflected behind his glasses and, the green color rapidly overtaking his complexion told that he had. Usagi looked away from his dazed eyes sheepishly, turning instead to her mother who instantly turned red and began to blubber incoherently, gripping Usagi's arm.

"Mama." Usagi teared up as well, sniffling and hiccuping as her shoulders began to shake.

Her mother pressed her forehead to Usagi's shoulder, reaching down a hand to rub her belly affectionately. "M-my bay-byyy's ha-having a-a babyyy!" She choked, her body racked with the kind of happy and horrified sobs that only a mother watching her child become an adult could experience.

Usagi clung to her mother as they both cried, rocking together on the couch as Usagi repeatedly apologized and her mother insisted everything would be fine. Her father simply sat there in silence, gripping the arms of his chair so tightly that his knuckles had gone white. He was staring over his wife and daughter's heads, lost in his own shock, unable to come up with any words to properly explain what was going on in his mind. He looked a painful mixture of enraged and nauseated.

"Sir." Haruka called out, prompting Usagi's fahter to turn his eyes very slowly, threateningly to Mamoru's face. "I'm in love with your daughter. I have been ever since I first met her, I had always intended to spend the rest of my life with her." She set her teacup on the table, curling her hands over Mamoru's knees. "What I ask you to let me do now is not out of sense of duty or obligation. It is from my heart. Please allow me to take responsibility for your daughter and my child."

For a long moment Usagi's father was eerily quiet, letting only the sounds of Usagi and her mother's sobs and, his own ragged breath fill the room. He stared at Haruka, seeing Mamoru's face, looking like a man on the brink of a mental fracture. Murder shone in his eyes and, Haruka would have been lying if she had claimed later on that she hadn't been scared to death that he would lung at her and strangle the life from her lungs. He stayed firmly planted in his chair though, seething in his own mind, though his anger was anything but private.

"Well go on then." He breathed through clenched teeth, his leg trembling.

Haruka nodded. "Usagi..." She called gently, touching a hand to Usagi's quavering back. The young girl turned to Haruka, staying wrapped in her mother's embrace as she wiped at her wet cheeks and swollen nose. She watched as Haruka retrieved something from her pocket and tilted her head curiously.

It was a small white box and, when Haruka opened Usagi was in awe of the lovely little ring that sat inside. It was a sophisticated antique gold, it's color dark and rich, forming delicate petals like a rose around a large pink pearl. It was stunning and, Usagi marveled at it's beauty before the sound of her mother's gasp cleared her mind. She hadn't noticed, but when she managed to bring her eyes back up to Mamoru's image she found him down on one knee in front of her.

Realization dawned over the ditsy blonde and, instantly her shining blue eyes were wide. Her lips grew unspeakably dry and her throat uncomfortably tight as she stared at the face in front of her. The eyes bore an impish sort of stare and, slowly the image of Mamoru's face dissolved in front of Usagi's vision until she was left staring at her handsome blonde soldier. Haruka smiled, wistful as a summer breeze.

"Will you marry me?"

_If I could flow like the wind I would reach you._

_If I could shine like a moon I would keep shining on you._

_I'll be anything if it can stop you from being seized with fear._

_-Moments _by Ayumi Hamasaki

* * *

><p>Hello lovlies. Did you miss me? ;P I know I've been away for a long while and I apologize. Life has become rather difficult. It's been hard to write but, I have no intention of abandoning this story. It means too much to me and, your support means even more. So I hope all of you are happy with it and, excited to see just where I'm going to take this messy storyline.<p>

And don't be too discouraged by the cliffhangers, they're kind of my trademark. ;*

**_Reviews?_**


	8. A Team Divided

**Chapter Eight**

**A Team Divided**

_Your heart began to be scorched, and there was a smell of it._

_It was the end of your dream, and the start of everything…_

_-Moments_ by Ayumi Hamasaki

Haruka was used to being the center of attention from her days spent on the race track. Her skill accompanied by the fact that she was a woman had always left her on the receiving end of some very awed stares. Not to mention her tall stature and striking good looks had always drawn in ogling eyes from most of the females she crossed paths with. Haruka never minded, she rather liked it in fact. But the looks Haruka's presence inspired that day were anything but pleasant to feel bearing down upon her.

Once again she found herself shacked up in Ami's apartment with her comrades, but that day her welcome was startlingly cold. Rei looked particularly bristled and glared at Haruka with a sort of uppity pucker to her lips. Minako sat beside her—intimately close as always—at the small dining table they all shared, looking displeased as well, yet there was an amused upturning of the right corner of her mouth. Ami sat directly across from Haruka at the head of the table and looked crestfallen, as if at a loss for any sort of reasoning. Something that obviously distressed the logical young woman. Makoto sat at Ami's side across from Rei and switched frequently from shooting angry daggers with her eyes at Haruka to gazing wistfully at Despo who sat beside her. Despo's eyes were covered by her large white sunglasses but, Haruka knew the redhead wasn't bothering to stare her down. The rock star's head was hung into her supporting palm, her posture slumped as she secretly nursed a hangover. The sheer amusement of Despo trying to adjust to civilian life was the only thing keeping Haruka from breaking under all the unhappy eyes turned upon her.

"What?" She finally asked. Her tone was calm, almost mockingly inquisitive as she matched the gazes of each of her fellow soldiers. Rei blanched, her eyes wild, she was clearly about to fly off the handle. But Luna cut her off.

"What? Is that all you've got to say for yourself?" The feline hissed, her rage seeming to blur the lines of her human mentality and her animal form. She sat in the middle of the table with Artemis, who had been working to calm her down. The male cat sighed in defeat.

"What would you like me to say?" Haruka asked evenly and Luna practically spat.

"How could you do such a thing? What were you thinking?! Do you realize the mess that you've caused?"

Haruka scratched the brim of her nose. "Actually I don't. I don't feel like I've complicated anything."

"How can you say that!?" Rei cut in, silencing Luna.

"You didn't even consult us." Ami lectured. "We should have been told about your plans. Maybe then we could understand."

"You didn't even consult me!" Minako huffed in an indignant manner, a hand upon her chest. "I'm the leader. I should be involved in any sort of plan making that goes on within the group." Rei rolled her eyes.

"You didn't consult _any_ of us." Makoto corrected, finally tearing her eyes off of Despo long enough to join in on the attack. "We're a team, we're supposed to be open with and support each other."

"I am sorry for that." Haruka admitted with a small sigh. "But it was a brash decision, there just wasn't any time."

"Too brash." Said Artemis quietly.

Luna nodded sharply. "Yes, you should have thought this through! How does this possibly help Usagi?"

Haruka sighed again, deeper this time but, when she moved to speak in her continuing defense, Despo waived the hand that had been supporting her head agitatedly.

"Lay off guys, it's not Haruka's fault." Her voice was strained, her head was obviously killing her. "I gave her the idea."

Ami's eyebrows rose, her big eyes blinking rapidly in wonder. Minako's face twisted in afront, more-so at being left out of the loop then over the situation itself. Makoto's anger dissolved and instead shifted to a look of curiosity and eagerness to understand. Luna and Artemis stared at one another, sharing a private but non-to-happy sort of look. Rei shot up, slamming her hands against the table so hard the strong wood vibrated and sent a jolt through all that sat around it.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" The black haired goddess raged.

Despo recoiled from the sharp pain that Rei's shriek shot through her head. "Your voice is so grating." The redhead sighed, rubbing her temples.

Despo didn't even look up when the table began to shake under the force of Rei. The hotheaded young woman had lunged toward the group's newest comrade, her fury blinding. The blockage of the table and the vice of Minako's hold around her hips kept Rei from laying hands upon Despo. But the fiery vixen still reached for her prey, eager to grasp at Despo's flaming hair, even when Makoto shot immediately to her feet to defend her idol. Luna and Artemis crouched down low on top of the shaking table, bracing themselves as Ami hid her face behind her hands.

"Cut it out Rei!" Minako commanded breathlessly, pulling her friend down into her lap as the girl continued to struggle. She was furious.

"She needs to leave!" Rei demanded. "She's not worthy of being a solider!"

"The transformation pen chose her, stop acting like a temperamental child Rei-chan." Makoto bit.

"Don't you defend her Mako-chan! Idolizing a person you've never even met, your obsession with her is pathetic!" Makoto's face turned bright red at Rei's words, scrunching up with anger.

Despo seemed completely unaware of the drama she had caused and, didn't speak a word in her own defense. She'd hardly have had a chance, because Makoto and Rei began to scream back and forth, insulting and belittling each other in a way so unaccustomed to their usual behavior. Never had two soldier's turned so fiercely on each other. Not a word Ami or Minako or even Luna and Artemis offered could calm the two girls.

No one even noticed as Haruka slowly rose from her seat, removing the leather jacket she so often adorned to reveal the fitted black vest she wore beneath. Not one of them took heed as she popped the top button to reveal a bit more of the flesh of her breasts and placed her hand to her chest, prompting a bright white light to emit there. So when she swiftly pulled forth her space sword from that warm light and jammed it deeply into the wood of the table in front of her, the deafening thud that sounded—more like a muffled gunshot—drew everyone's eyes toward her. Every girl was silent, save Ami who let out a strangled gasp of horror at seeing what Haruka had done to her table.

Haruka's face was calm, maintaining the easy-going serenity she was known for. But her mouth was stiff, almost scowl-like and there was a harsh stare in the depths of her navy eyes. She glared at the girls in front of her, pointedly at Despo who slid her sunglasses to the top of her head behind her bangs and rolled her eyes—her previous surprise long forgotten and replaced with her usual careless arrogance—and buried her head in her arms upon the table. Haruka turned her attention to Rei then, but the other woman would not return her gaze. Instead she stared pointedly away at the wall far off beside Ami's head. She still looked agitated but, the grumpy way she folded her arms over her chest and pouted made it clear that she got the message. When Haruka looked at Makoto the brunette had already sat back down and, gave Haruka a small nod of understanding.

"Thank you." Haruka said very quietly but, clearly heard in the silence of the apartment. Her rigid stance relaxed slightly as she released the hilt of her sword, leaving it stuck in Ami's table. The poor girl stared at it, chewing her lower lip most unhappily but, quite unwilling to interrupt Haruka as the older woman began to speak. "Now is not the time to be turning on one another. _That_ would be of no help to Usagi.

"I realize Rei that Despo is a bit difficult to get along with." Haruka continued, earning an amused snort from the incapacitated redhead who just kept her head down. Rei muttered something inaudible and Haruka sighed. "The fact of the matter is that, we need her. We need to be at full power for whatever is coming our way and that means not only having every kingdom in the alliance represented but, in being truly aligned." She stated wisely, palming the narrow curves of her hips. "So put whatever petty differences you're developing aside and focus on the issue at hand. We are indeed facing a new enemy."

Rei finally turned her head as the group came to alert. Even Despo shifted her head, keeping it down in the pillow of her arms as she exposed her face to stare up at Haruka as attentively as possible. Ami finally turned her attention away from the sword sticking out of her table to look across the table at Haruka.

"Obviously." Minako agreed, a bit of bite in her tone. She was rather put off by how readily Haruka had taken command. That was supposed to be her job. "But what is it they're after and who's running the show? That creature didn't seem very smart. All it had going for itself was strength so there's definitely a ring leader."

"I agree." Haruka nodded. "I can't be certain of it's intention, but I am almost positive that it wasn't just a random attack. I think the creature was after Usagi."

"What makes you say that?" Minako pressed, moving her hand beneath the table to covers Rei's as it formed a fist over her thigh. Minako could feel how tense Rei had become, she had yet to move off of the blonde's lap. She knew Rei was remembering the dream she had had the other night.

"When I was fighting it there was a point where I fell. It was nearly on top of me, yet when Usagi screamed it veered off for her. I was making too much noise for it to have lost track of me. It didn't make sense for it to just run after her like that unless it was sent there for her." Haruka reached a hand up, scratching the short nail of her index finger against the bridge of her nose as she often did when deep in thought. Her eyes dropped to where the blade of her sword pierced the wood of Ami's dining room table. "We can assume without hesitation though that it's intentions for the princess are not good ones. What makes matters worse is that Usagi can't transform to defend herself."

"Any thoughts on why that is?" Makoto asked and Haruka shook her head.

"I think I know the answer to that at least partially." Ami piped up. "We've seen it before; Usagi-chan has trouble maintaining her Soldier form when under extreme emotional duress."

"But she's never not been completely unable to transform." Rei challenged.

"It's the baby." The girls drew their eyes to Despo, who had lifted her head enough to rest her chin on her arms, the seriousness of the conversation seeming to dull the ache in her head. She too was staring at Haruka's sword. "It must be a subconscious instinct. Transforming draws out the seed of power hidden within us, that alone must put the body under a pretty fair amount of stress. Calling upon that power again in battle, not to mention all the physicality a fight calls for. Usagi's subconscious won't allow her to endanger the baby."

Rei frowned. "But Usagi didn't know she was pregnant."

"Her body did." Despo answered quickly.

"Excellent hypothesis." Ami grinned broadly, sounding thoroughly impressed.

"Thanks." Despo shrugged and finally sat up, her eyes rolling a bit due to the swimming sensation in her head. "That's why it's important she always has one of us around."

"The creature was so strong though, Haruka couldn't even fight it off." Minako worried, shifting her arms idly around Rei's waist to pull the girl close. Rei turned a fierce scarlet but did not fight Minako's hold.

"For now the game plan should be flight and avoidance rather than attack." Haruka explained with a clear of her throat, feeling almost indignant over her shortcomings in battle the previous night. "Until we know more about the enemy anyway."

"This still doesn't explain the marriage proposal Haruka-san." Luna finally spoke up.

"In all honesty, the reason behind that was mainly to ease some of the pressure off of Usagi." Despo answered in Haruka's place. "I mean, I'm sure Usagi's parents are decent people but, I doubt things would have gone as smoothly if they had been told the real situation. Her father probably would have gone after Endymion, either to kill him or force him to take responsibility or both."

"You mean Mamoru." Ami corrected, a puzzled look upon her face. Despo just stared for a moment before nodding.

"Right." She shrugged the mistake off, but everyone was staring with looks of confusion that mirrored Ami's. All except Rei who glared suspiciously and, Haruka who was staring pointedly at her sword again. "The point is: it's just easier if Usagi's parents think she's being taken care of."

"It'll be easier for us to keep Usagi safe this way too." Haruka input, taking hold of the hilt of her sword to finally pull it free of the table. Ami flinched. "It'll be hard enough to watch over her, let alone her family. It's best if they're involved as little as possible." She held the hilt up to her chest, prompting that strange light once more, this time to absorb the sword back into her chest.

"Well then that shouldn't be hard if she's spending her nights with you." Makoto commented, a private sort of smile overtaking her face as Despo chuckled. Haruka stared hard at the both of them.

"Yes, you said the creature retreated at the first sign of dawn. Logically that would mean that it's sensitive to light and will only attack at night." Luna deduced with a thoughtful nod, not seeming to understand what Makoto and Despo found so funny.

"But if the monster is really blind, why would the light bother it?" Artemis asked.

"It wasn't so much blind, it just didn't have eyes." Minako answered. "It was just this massive blob of darkness. Like a solid three dimensional shadow."

"You said you discovered something about what it was made of didn't you Ami-chan?" Rei looked to Ami, who shot to her feet excitedly.

"Yes!" She hurried through the apartment and down the hall to her bedroom, flicking the the lights off along the way to shroud the girls in darkness.

The city lights shining dimly from Ami's patio and through the few windows in the apartment were the only source of light. It was dismal, but it was enough light so that each girl could make out the outline of of the faces around them.

"Well this is cozy." They heard Artemis chuckle before squealing, Luna had scratched him. The girls laughed quietly.

Ami returned almost as quickly as she had departed, wielding what looked like a large box. No one could tell exactly what it was because it was covered by a billowing black cloth. Tucked beneath her right arm was a large flashlight, which she sat upon the table in front of her, right beside the box.

"Come in close, it's hard to see." She commanded and the others complied, all rising to their feet to gather in close around Ami and her mysterious box. Minako stood close to Ami's side, dragging Rei along with her as their arms remained linked. Haruka walked around the table to stand on Ami's other side, easily muscling her way between Ami and Makoto. The tall brunette didn't seem to mind—then again—she wasn't even looking at the secret treasure Ami had brought them. She was staring down at Despo, per usual as the redhead stood with her side pressed against her.

For once Despo stared right back, smiling up at Makoto through the darkness. She was a few inches shorter than the statuesque girl, which Makoto was used to. But unlike all the other girls that had to crane their necks to look up at Makoto, there was nothing timid about Despo. She didn't need time to get to know Makoto to realize she wasn't as scary and abrasive as her features seemed to let on. Despo didn't seem intimidated by Makoto at all. It reminded Makoto of the first time she had met Usagi, and it made her smile brighten significantly.

Despo's grin faded into a confident smirk, a self-assured twinkle making her gold eyes shine. She really was very cocky. The intense hue of red that overtook Makoto's face seemed to cast a faint light in the darkness and Despo chuckled at the sight of it. A strange nostalgia gathered like the flutter of butterfly wings inside Makoto's stomach, making her heart ache almost sadly because it felt so familiar. Like something her head had forgotten and her heart yearned to remember.

"Ew! What is it?" Minako's voice punctured through the wall that had built around Despo and Makoto—separating them from the others—and drew their attention to what the other girls were gaping at.

Ami had lifted the black piece of cloth to reveal a square glass container beneath. The container was completely empty upon first sight but, upon closer inspection it could be seen that there was a small black mass in the middle of the box. It was hard to see because of the lack of light in the room but, the more the girls stared at it, the more clear it seemed to become. It was squirming just sightly, like a bug twitching with it's last remnants of life after being swatted.

"I've been calling it specimen S." Ami answered. "S for shadow." She explained matter-of-factly, but there was a twang of pride in her voice.

"You really are a mad scientist Ami-chan." Rei said and, Ami blushed in the darkness.

"Okay so it's specimen S." Minako nodded hard with exasperation. "What the hell is a specimen S?"

Ami cleared her throat as if to prepare herself for a long-winded speech. "I have no idea." Was all she said. The others sighed and hung their heads respectively.

"You've been studying it in the lab for the past two days and you haven't learned anything?" Luna blustered from her seat on the table in front of the box, unable to hide her frustration.

"Oh I learned lots about it!" Ami responded cheerfully. "I'm just not sure what it is." She puckered her lips thoughtfully as Luna slumped forward on the table and sighed more deeply. "It's made up of the oddest dark matter, unlike anything I've ever seen or could find described in any text book. It's other-worldly."

"So—in other words—it's alien." Haruka joined in sternly, staring hard at the strange substance.

"Indeed." Ami nodded. "I can't tell you what it is but, I can tell you that it exhibits some very astounding behavior when exposed to light." At that, Ami brandished her flashlight. "Observe." She flicked the switch to turn it on, casting a dim light into the darkness. It wasn't very bright, but when she focused the light down on the dark matter it began to squirm violently, as if it were in great pain.

"Ew!" Minako squeaked.

"What is it doing?" Rei asked.

"It's dying." Ami revealed evenly. "Direct exposure to light weakens the matter's density significantly."

"So it does have a weakness." Haruka was certainly pleased by the news.

Ami nodded. "Yes; artificial light is it's weakness and direct sunlight would almost certainly kill it."

"That must be why the monster was in such a hurry to leave when the sun was coming up." Minako inputted, feeling very proud of herself for adding her piece to the puzzle.

"It stands to reason." Ami agreed as she drew the cloth back over the glass box. She used the flashlight to guide her through her apartment, finding the light switch to illuminate the room once more.

"And here I was worried." Makoto laughed. "The way you guys were talking I thought this enemy would be more of a challenge."

"It's not that simple." Ami explained. "This stuff, it isn't just matter, it's a parasite. A pretty horrifying one actually." Ami's concerned tone peaked the interest of the other girls. "I wanted to see how the matter responded to an outside organism so I placed a mouse in the glass case with it. The matter attacked the poor thing, it expanded to completely cover it and, when it finally pulled away, it was two times it's original size. The mouse was dead, every cell in it's body had died. It was a withered black husk."

The other girls looked horrified, none more-so than Despo. "That's horrible! The poor mouse!" She exclaimed.

Ami's face turned red and her head hung slightly. "Yes I-I didn't mean for the poor thing to-to..."

"It's not your fault Ami." Haruka cut the girl's apology short. "You did a good job; we still don't know much about the enemy, but at least now we know enough to strategize a good defense against it."

"So what's the defense plan exactly, carrying around flashlights?" Rei inquired with a bit of bite in her tone. Haruka poised an unamused stare her way.

"And I'm supposed to be the one who's difficult to get along with." Despo laughed outright as Makoto bit back a smile beside her.

"Are you trying to start with me again?" Rei slammed her palm on the table again to lean threateningly toward the redhead. "Don't push me." She glared and Despo grinned. She placed her palm very calmly on the table and leaned towards Rei.

"Oh but it's so much fun." Haruka rolled her eyes and Ami shook her head with worry as she rushed away from the tension to return her trapped specimen to the safety of her bedroom.

Rei's face was a furious shade of purple. "Damnit Rei just let it go!" Minako pleaded agitatedly, locking her arm into Rei's to hold the fiery girl back as she waved her finger in Despo's face and sputtered angrily.

"You need to stop." Haruka turned on Despo as the girl laughed carelessly.

"I'm not doing anything."

Makoto nodded rushing to Despo's defense. "Rei's just acting crazy."

"Screw you Makoto!" Rei shouted over the ringing of Ami's phone.

"I said cut it out!" Haruka pressed more sternly, looking from Despo to Rei, the frustration clear in her eyes.

"You too Haruka, you're not the leader!" Rei raged on. "Who do you think you are bringing this troublemaker into our ranks huh? Who the hell is she to act so comfortably around us? She hasn't earned the right!"

"Regardless, this whole thing is completely counter-productive. We have to protect the princess, I'm not giving this speech again."

"Usagi wouldn't need protecting if you could have controlled that whore of a girlfriend!"

Minako jerked Rei back, pushing the other girl behind her as Haruka turned upon Rei, her face twisted in an uncharacteristic look of anger. It was the look of calculated threat she only ever showed in battle, but it wasn't enough to make Rei back down. She glared defiantly, stepping up even as Minako forced her back behind her. Minako held her hands up to Haruka in a show of peace but also a threat of retaliation if she tried to lay hands on Rei.

"Girls! Stop this right now!" Luna commanded, horrified at the way they were acting but, no one paid her any attention.

"Haruka-san." Ami's breathless voice drew Haruka's attention from Minako and Rei. Ami looked at a loss for words at the scene she had returned to, holding out the receiver of her cordless phone. "It's Usagi-chan, she needs to talk to you."

* * *

><p>Haruka's heart was still hammering in her chest as she opened the gate in front of Usagi's house. After she'd gotten off the phone with Usagi she had left Ami's apartment in a hurry, leaving Despo behind to deal with the friction she had helped cause on her own. It was lucky she had gotten the call. Haruka had been so angry she wasn't sure what would have happened without something to distract her from the ugliness that had begun to bubble out of her. She was still angry, but the closer she got to Usagi's front door, to Usagi herself, the calmer Haruka became. It was refreshing, to have someone that needed her. Easier to focus all of her attention on her princess rather then face the emotion gnawing at her insides.<p>

"Oh Haruka." It was Usagi's mother that had answered the door. She looked surprised. "What are you doing here so late?"

Haruka held up the pint of strawberry ice cream and bag of mini powdered donuts she'd been carrying. "The princess had a late night craving." She laughed and Ikuko smiled a little.

"Yes, but I thought she had called Mamoru." Ikuko sounded confused as she stepped aside to usher Haruka inside. Haruka had been in such a rush to get over to Usagi's house she had forgotten to use the disguise pen.

"He's on call at the hospital right now. He gave me a call asking if I'd bring Usagi her snacks." Haruka lied and Usagi's mother smiled and nodded, pushing the matter no further.

Haruka found Usagi in her bedroom, her legs tucked into the sheets of her bed as she sat up and read. But rather then a funny manga, it was an actual book that held all of the young girl's attention; a guide for expectant mothers. She held it up under her nose with her right hand as her left stroked her stomach, the pink sheen of the pearl ring that decorated her finger gleaming in the light. Her night shirt was rolled up over it to expose the slightly pudged flesh of her tummy. It wasn't quite a baby-bump yet, but Haruka knew it would round out nicely. She laughed at the thought and the sound made Usagi jolt.

"Haruka!" She placed her book down and quickly smoothed her shirt back over her belly bashfully. "Th-that was quick." She laughed awkwardly and Haruka smiled as she entered the room.

"Well when my princess calls with demands I must deliver as promptly as possible." She stopped in front of the bed to hand Usagi her food before pulling out the chair that sat at her desk to sit down. "Otherwise what kind of soldier would I be?"

"I'm sorry." Usagi offered shamefully, but her shame didn't stop her from tearing open the bag of donuts and popping one into her mouth. "I sho-int o cahd yew." She chewed out but Haruka only smiled.

"Don't be sorry. You're supposed to send me out on late-night convenient store runs. You're my pregnant bride after all." Haruka shrugged her coat of her shoulders casually. Usagi averted her eyes to her bed and began to eat her ice cream in silence.

The silence stretched on but Haruka seemed content to just sit there and stare at Usagi. She leaned back comfortably in the chair, crossing one leg over the other elegantly and her arms around her chest. She watched as Usagi scooped one spoonful after another of the sweet dairy treat into her mouth. The coldness turned her lips rosy. Haruka watched Usagi swallow every spoonful and not once did she return Haruka's gaze. She looked lost in her own world and a vibe of distress hung in the air around her.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Haruka asked with a tilt of her head after Usagi had finished nearly half the pint of ice cream. She finally looked Haruka's way, a look of surprise on her face as if she had forgotten the other girl had been there. She just stared though, so Haruka asked another question. "Is that your dress?" She turned her attention to Usagi's closet where a large cloth space bag was hanging from the closet door.

"Yes." Usagi answered that question.

"That was quick."

Usagi nodded and looked down at her ice cream as Haruka looked back toward her. "I had to buy a sample gown off the rack since... since the w-wedding is next week." Her hands were trembling and the emotion in her voice was making it hard for her to speak. "The sales lady... she looked at me like-like she knew. Like she knew I was pregnant a-and she looked so disapproving." Usagi sniffled as tears began to trickle down her face. "And I wouldn't care about that, because-because I'm so-so happy that I am. I'm so happy... happy that Chibiusa will still be born."

"But?" Haruka pushed, rising from the chair to make her way to Usagi and sit beside her on the edge of her bed.

"But it...it's all wrong. It wasn't su-supposed to be like th-this." Usagi stammered as tears fell freely from her eyes. "When I got married, it-it was supposed to be for l-love. Not-not for appearances. N-not so nobody would ask questions. I-I was supposed to be Mamo-chan's bride. I was supposed to marry him because-because I loved him."

Haruka nodded. "You've been planning this wedding for a long time haven't you?"

"Ever since Mamoru and I began dating." Usagi laughed tearfully.

Haruka sighed. "I'm sorry princess. I'm sorry that things aren't working out the way they were supposed to. I'm sorry for what Michiru did and for how Mamoru betrayed your trust." Haruka reached out a hand to brush away the tears staining Usagi's cheeks. "But what's done is done and, there's nothing either of us can do to change it. All we can do is make the best of it." She tucked a finger beneath Usagi's chin, prompting the young girl to look up at her, her blue eyes shimmering with the tears that lingered. "It's okay to be sad, as long as you remember to be thankful. Usagi, your daughter will be born and though one parent may be absent, she'll still be born into a family that loves her. Your family, the Soldiers and me. We'll always be there to support you and, we love her just as much as you do. So she'll never lack anything, I'll personally make sure of that."

Usagi sniffled and her lips tucked into a small smile as she nodded.

"And you know princess..." Haruka continued, moving her hand to brush Usagi's bangs out of her eyes tenderly. "I do love you." Usagi's eyes widened slightly and her cheeks flushed a bright pink instantly. Haruka laughed. "Not in a romantic way; in the same way the knights of old loved the queens they served. That kind of love, that level of devotion, even some women that do marry the person they love don't have that." Haruka smirked and Usagi nodded slowly, trying to calm the violent hammering of her heart.

"I love you too." She breathed and Haruka tilted her head with slight surprise. "I-in that way. Th-that same way you s-said." She dropped her eyes back to her ice cream and Haruka smiled.

"I'm happy." Usagi rose her eyes just slightly to stare through the veil of her eyelashes at the vibrant smile that had brightened Haruka's comely face. It made her heart throb and she quickly looked back down.

"So I'll ask you again, because the first time, your mother was screaming and jumping around so much I never did get your answer." Again Haruka used a finger beneath Usagi's chin to guide the young girl's gaze back her way. Usagi was feverishly red in the face as Haruka took her ice cream to set it aside on the nightstand. She took Usagi's hand—garnished with the lovely ring Haruka had given her—and slid off the bed to get down on one knee. "Usagi..." Haruka smiled softly, the radiance never leaving her face as she entwined her fingers with Usagi's. The young princess was breathless, her heart beating so excitedly she felt faint. "Will you marry me?"

Usagi smiled, not quite understanding why she felt such joy in that moment. The first time she had been anxious, dreading what was to come. Yet seeing Haruka there on one knee without the mask of Mamoru's face, without the watchful eyes of her parents, she felt so at ease, so serene. Staring into the depths of Haruka's eyes, Usagi felt a security she had been absent of for a long time, perhaps longer than she had even realized.

She leaned down and, to Haruka's surprise planted a soft lingering kiss to her soldier's forehead. She pulled back slightly, the pink tinge in her cheeks matched by the red hue of Haruka's as they stared into each others eyes.

"Yes."

_If I could flow like the wind I would reach you._

_If I could shine like a moon I would keep shining on you._

_I'll be anything if it can stop you from being seized with fear._

_-Moments _by Ayumi Hamasaki

* * *

><p>Why hello out there my lovely readers! Did you think I'd forgotten about this story? Were you wondering if I'd died? Nope! I've just been suffering from a horrible case of writers block brought about by the real-life blues. -sigh-<p>

My apologies everyone, I'm not as quick as I once was and, I can't guarantee I'll be any quicker with publishing the future chapters. But I do promise that I will never stop writing and that this story will be finished! So please, bear with me until the end!

I know not much happened in this chapter, but hopefully you're all entertained with the drama that is building and, pacified with the gushy UsaHaru action I added at the end. I do hope that at least partially makes up for how slow I am and how much I suck. :C

Thank you for sticking with this story, continuing to support me and being so very, very patient. I love you all!

**Reviews please?  
><strong>


	9. A Secret is Looming

**Chapter Nine**

**A Secret Looms**

_Your heart began to be scorched, and there was a smell of it._

_It was the end of your dream, and the start of everything…_

_-Moments_ by Ayumi Hamasaki

The night was warm... or perhaps it was cold? Despo couldn't have said one way or the other. Whatever the temperature of the wind that was rustling her bangs, the young woman was kept unaware by the warm tingle all throughout her body, that flushed her round face and made her head swim slightly. It had been a few hours since she'd made her retreat from Ami's apartment shortly after Haruka. Rei had been happy to see her go. Makoto not so much; she'd offered to walk with Despo but the redhead had declined.

The disappointment had been clear on the young girl's face.. her very pretty face... and though Despo felt guilty for crushing her hopes, she'd had important business to attend to. Specifically: finding a bar and having a drink, or five to be more precise. Maybe five, Despo couldn't really remember.

All she was absolutely certain of was that she was feeling much better and, enjoying her leisurely walk through Tokyo back to her hotel. More of a giggly stumble really. She was actually happy for the way things had turned out; had Haruka and she left Ami's place together—as was the initial plan—there was no way the uppity priss would have let Despo unwind with a drink. Or five... or had it been seven?

Despo snorted a laugh, running a hand over her face.

"Why the fuck am I here?" She asked a street light before leaning her side heavily into it.

She twirled herself around the pole, feeling the motion in her head as her back hit the hard metal and she slumped to the ground. She brought her knees up, pressing the cool fabric of her faded jeans into her breasts. Her arms came around to hug her legs as her head lulled back, her eyes shutting against the constantly gleaming lights of Tokyo.

"Why indeed?" She heard a voice beside her ask, she didn't even flinch.

"I knew you were following me."

"Your perception has gotten that good has it?" The voice chuckled; feminine, condescending, it raked Despo's nerves just as much as it always had.

"What do you want Michi?" Despo asked without ever opening her eyes.

"I heard you were in the city. Can't a girl pay her little sister a visit?"

Despo laughed. "And what's the sudden interest in forming a sisterly bond?"

She felt a slight breeze and the gentle brush of fabric as Michiru sat beside her on the curb. "I wanted to see how my replacement was shaping up." Despo could hear the smirk in her voice. "You certainly don't disappoint."

"Bite me."

"Oh my, still so hostile." Michiru giggled. "Don't be like that Desy. I just want to offer some advice, like any good big sister would."

"Oh I cannot wait to hear this." Despo snorted again, running her tongue across her lips. Her mouth had suddenly gotten very dry.

"Don't tell them."

"Tell them what?"

She was smiling again, that cunning smile that Despo hated, she could hear it in Michiru's voice. "You know what. As much as you knock it, I know you want this Desy. You want to be a solider, you always have. But you never could, you were never good enough." There was a mocking pout in her tone that made rage flare in the pit of Despo's stomach.

"Fuck off."

Michiru chuckled. "Fine, don't admit it. But you heed my words. If they find out who you are, what you did, they'll never forgive you. She'll hate you."

Despo squeezed her eyes tighter together. "Go away."

But Michiru went on. "You could have saved them, but you didn't." Despo felt her lean in closer and whisper softly into her ear. "You let her die."

"Fuck you Michi!" Despo's shriek rang through the empty streets as, finally she opened her eyes to turn her infuriated gaze on Michiru.

The woman stared, her lips stretching into a slow, satisfied smile that made Despo's stomach turn. She tilted her head in a sly, self-assured way that made Despo want to strike her. She didn't though, she merely stared at her sister, long and hard; defiant in her defeat. It was a familiar position for them, one Michiru seemed pleased with.

"Well then..." Michiru sighed as she pushed herself back onto her feet, Despo watched as she smoothed down the front of her black skirt and tossed her teal tresses off her shoulder. "I should be going now." she finished as she turned her back. "Remember what I said Despo, it's good advice. Oh, and your hotel is three blocks over." She gestured with her thumb as the click of her heels carried her across the pavement, leaving Despo to sit alone on the sidewalk.

She watched as Michiru retreated until she turned the corner and was out of site. Despo's breath was ragged, her body shaking with an inner turmoil she could not bare to set free. She hated Michiru, more than anything.

But not more than she hated herself.

* * *

><p>Haruka's eyes snapped open, sweat cooling the skin around her brow. Her breath, though steady, left her slightly parted lips in deep huffs. Her skin crawled with agitation and she watched as the pale hairs that lined the flesh of her arm—extended out in front of her—relaxed from their on edge position. Her eyes trailed upward, along the curvature of the body which she embraced against her torso, to find the back of a disheveled blonde mane. For a brief moment, as Haruka's eyes had slid lazily along Usagi's body, she had expected to see that familiar curled sea foam colored mess that she was so accustomed to awakening to in the morning.<p>

It had been six days since the last time Haruka would ever wake up to Michiru's flowery scented hair smothering her face. In those six days she hadn't slept much, and what little sleep she did get was in short uneasy spurts. Haruka wasn't used to sleeping alone, she hadn't for so long. Perhaps that was why when Usagi had asked her to lay with her, Haruka had almost instantaneously fallen asleep. It had been a calm, restful sleep until the sensation of waking up somewhere foreign had set her mind to a frenzied panic. For a moment Haruka had been unsure of where she was. But staring at the back of those messy blonde buns, surrounded by the sweet scent of what smelled like vanilla cupcakes, Haruka could feel the racing of her heart subside.

Haruka turned her head, casting her eyes toward the warm sunlight that had just started to glow through the window. She had spent the night at Usagi's house, in Usagi's room, in Usagi's bed. The realization flustered her a bit. She drew her arm carefully from around her princess and eased herself out of bed. Usagi stirred, rolling onto her back but her eyes did not open. Her mouth however did, it's left corner the starting point of a shiny path of dried drool that had traced down Usagi's cheek. Haruka chuckled quietly and moved away from the bed to Usagi's vanity. She bent toward the mirror and brushed her fingers through her short locks a few times to neaten them before contemplating her reflection.

She'd never been much of a morning person, she wrote that off to the sullen look about her face. She was just grumpy about being up so early and wanted to sleep in. That was what she told herself anyway. It was easier than dealing with the agonizing loneliness that made her chest feel hollow. She straightened, grabbed her coat and cast a final look toward Usagi, who still slept soundly in her bed, tangled in that girly purple comforter. A light smile tugged at Haruka's lips and the ache in her chest grew more pained. She didn't want to go. Being there, being next to Usagi, Haruka felt normal; as if her entire world hadn't ended. Away from her Haruka felt lost, useless... lonely. Without her princess there to distract her mind with her sense of duty and overbearing need to nurture her, all Haruka was was a sad woman with a broken heart.

She knew that was the real reason behind the charade she had created, or at least the main driving point for it. Haruka needed Usagi to distract her, she needed Usagi to keep her mind busy, she needed Usagi there so that she didn't have to deal with how much she missed Michiru. It was selfish, very much against her noble nature. But Usagi needed the protection, Haruka needed the distraction. They needed each other. That was how she reasoned it in her mind.

She slipped from Usagi's room and just as she was about to close the door, she spotted Luna sitting at her feet. Their eyes locked, a strange sort of look emanating from the feline's dark eyes. Haruka furrowed her brow in question but Luna said nothing, and before Haruka could ask, the cat skirted around her feet and slipped into Usagi's bedroom. Haruka closed the door quietly behind her before padding across the hallway and down the steps. She was at the front door when a voice jolted her around.

"Oh Haruka, good morning." It was Usagi's mother, a soft smile on her lips as she stood in the doorway of the kitchen, wiping the inside of a mug with a dish towel. "I just made some coffee, come have some with me." She said pleasantly and turned to walk back into the kitchen before Haruka could object.

Haruka pursed her lips, feeling apprehensive for some reason she just couldn't pin point, but she followed Mrs. Tsukino into the kitchen. She removed her jacket out of politeness and sat in the chair at the kitchen table that Mrs. Tsukino had gestured to. The older woman placed a steaming cup of black coffee in front of Haruka, a small container of cream and a bowl of sugar in the middle of the table before sitting across from Haruka. She added her cream and sugar, stirred it around then took a savoring sip of her coffee without saying a word to Haruka. Haruka kept her eyes on her cup as she added some sugar—skipping the cream—and took a sip of the strong black brew.

Mrs. Tsukino sighed wistfully. "It's so nice to have this time to myself. With planning Usagi's wedding, everything has been so hectic; and Papa's been in such a sulky mood that I'm ashamed to say I'm almost glad when I send him off to work, and can have a moments peace before the kids get up."

"It must have been quite a shock for you, but you're handling the situation gracefully Mrs. Tsukino." Haruka smiled understandingly and the older woman laughed.

"Please Haruka, call me Ikuko. Mrs. Tsukino makes me feel so old." She scoffed in exasperation before smiling again. "It was a shock that it happened in the order it did, and I had thought when it did I'd have more time to plan, but I always knew Usagi and Mamoru would marry. They're such a good match."

Haruka felt her face stiffen, but she nodded in agreement. "They are."

"Will you be attending the wedding? Usagi gave me a list of all the people she wanted me to invite, but you were absent from it." Ikuko gave a tilt of her head.

"Oh I'll be going of town for a while next week so I won't be able to. I'll be sending a gift though." Haruka lied.

Ikuko's smile softened to something more docile. It made Haruka feel uncomfortable, almost as if the older woman was pitying her. There was something in her eyes when she looked at Haruka, something that made the young woman feel vulnerable.

"That's too bad, you two have become so close..." Ikuko's voice trailed a little and it made Haruka's heart race. "Once she's married, she'll be so busy with her new husband and her baby, things like that will have to stop."

There was an inclination in her voice that sparked an understanding in Haruka's mind; and the hollow space in Haruka's chest began to fill with something heavy and angry. Haruka had been in similar situations, and though Ikuko handled it with far more tact than the mother's before her, Haruka's keen eyes glared through the pleasantries.

"You want me to stay away." She said very calmly and Ikuko pressed her lips together and sighed heavily through her nose.

"There are things a mother knows about her child Haruka, things she can pick up on." The older woman began to explain after another sip of her coffee. "You know, when she first met you, you were all Usagi could talk about. She would say how beautiful you and your girlfriend were. How strange it was that two girls could be with each other in that way. How special it was that love really could surpass everything, even gender. She thought you two were the most amazing people she would ever know."

Haruka couldn't help but smirk a little at the thought. "Usagi thinks everyone is special and beautiful." She offered dismissively and Ikuko nodded.

"Yes, my daughter has a gift for seeing the beauty of the world and the people in it. But it's different with you." Ikuko stared into the reflection of the light swimming in her coffee. "She has a crush on you Haruka, I see it in the way she looks at you and hear it in the way she says your name. And I don't think your affection for her is entirely platonic. In fact I know it isn't." Her eyes rose and bore straight into Haruka, stalling her ability to speak. "I don't think it's wrong, who you are and, I don't think I'd care if it was what Usagi truly wanted. But what my daughter wants is a family, and that's what she's getting. I'm simply asking that you not muddle her mind and jeopardize her dream."

The anger had bubbled up into Haruka's throat, threatening to force out the angry words that swam there. But Haruka stayed calm, forcing herself to focus on the bitter amusement she felt over the whole thing. She was partially inclined to inform Ikuko that it was her who was going to marry her daughter, not Mamoru. But Haruka couldn't and, she wouldn't. It was better that way anyway. No one would wonder why she wasn't around anymore.

"Don't worry Mrs. Tsukino." Haruka said as she stood from her chair, watching the older woman stiffen her lips as she watched her put her coat back on. "I won't cause trouble. I'll be scarce."

Haruka turned to leave and, this time Ikuko didn't stop her. She could feel her hands tremble with rage and her eyes sting with the urge to cry, but she neither shed a tear nor put her fist through the wall; she simply walked out into the hall and made for the front door. She paused only when something caught her attention from the corner of her eye. She turned her head to see Usagi seated at the bottom of the stairs with Luna curled up on her knees. The cat was rubbing her head consolingly against Usagi's stomach as the young girl cried silently. Her face was red and blotchy and, mixed with sorrow and embarrassment and, Haruka knew she had been listening to her mother.

Haruka smiled gently, bending down to stroke her fingers through Usagi's bangs. She sniffled quietly and mouthed the words _'I'm sorry'_ but Haruka just shook her head. The dedicated blonde soldier bent forward further and pressed a light kiss against Usagi's forehead before straightening up and smiling down at her wide eyed princess.

"See you next week kitten, make sure you wear a tiara. A princess needs a crown." Haruka whispered with a private wink, and Usagi smiled sadly and nodded. She watched as Haruka turned breezily and headed out her front door like the carefree winds of autumn.

* * *

><p>"What a bitch." Despo gave a hearty chuckle so unlike her usual couldn't care less attitude. After her exchange with Usagi's mother, Haruka had headed straight to Despo's hotel to vent her frustrations. She had stayed calm as could be in the moment, but as soon as Haruka had stepped over the threshold of the front door she was seething.<p>

Haruka scoffed. "You'd think by now I'd be used to stuff like that. She's not the first mother I've had accuse me of corrupting her daughter with my gayness." She reclined back in her place on the couch placed off to the side of the large bed Despo lay sprawled out across, in nothing but a black tank top and hot pink panties.

"It's those good looks man." Despo mused as she rolled onto her stomach to lay across the bed—tangled in it's sheets—to stare at Haruka. Her arms crossed in front of her to act as a perch for her chin, she smirked at the other woman. "Moms know that even the most sheltered little girls get wet at the sight of an androgynous hottie."

"You're too forward." Haruka rolled her eyes and laughed but didn't deny the statement.

Despo shrugged. "So what are you going to do? It's not like you won't be able to visit her; with the transformation pen you can just go to her house as Mamoru."

"I'm just going to stay away for now. I mean, Usagi deserves to spend as much time with her family as she can now, because once we're married she's going to basically go into hiding. Plus you should have seen her when I was leaving. I know she was really upset over what her mother said and I don't want to be a source of tension between them. Not right before one of the biggest days of Usagi's life. " Haruka reflected and Despo flashed a knowing little smile. Haruka eye's fell upon her, her right eyebrow cocked with interest. "What?"

"You really do like her." The redhead said.

Haruka blanched. "O-of course. She's my princess."

"Exactly; _your_ princess." Despo smirked.

"You know that's not what I meant."

"I know you think its not what you meant. You're too focused on duty to even begin to consider what you're really feeling."

"You're not making any sense." Haruka huffed dismissively as she pushed firmly off the couch onto her feet. "Anyway, I didn't come here to discuss frivolous things with you. Someone needs to watch over Usagi since I can't. The new enemy is more powerful than any we've faced before, the inner guardians powers aren't nearly enough to go up against it."

"So that leaves it up to us outer guardians." Despo interjected. "The offensive line of the galaxy." She boasted dramatically

Haruka grinned. "Exactly, but with me out of the game and Setsuna still in her realm that leaves you."

"Oh the inners are gonna love this. Especially that priestess."

"We're not going to tell them. There's been enough drama because of you Despo, and since we can't exactly tell them who you really are, and why you'll be strong enough to face the enemy even with your lack of experience, it's best to keep them out of the loop."

Despo sighed and rolled onto her back to stare up at the ceiling. A loud yawn passed her lips as she extended her arms over her head to dangle them off of the bed and arched her back to stretch her body. She reclined her head backward off of the bed to cast her golden gaze toward Haruka. She watched as the older woman's keen eyes averted from their spot at the bottom of Despo's stomach where the line of her panties began, exposed as her tank top rolled up to just beneath her breasts.

"Been a while huh Haruka?" Despo teased, biting her lip slyly as Haruka's cheeks flushed a feverish pink.

"I was just admiring your new tattoo."

The image was of a steady beautifully blue ocean surface that flowed from one of Despo's hips to the other. At each hip the ocean surface curled into waves that extended up along the side of Despo's stomach to peak and curl inward just below her belly button, as if to support the symbol that encircled it. It was black and looked much like a flower, consisting of seven interlocking circles, one in the center drawn around her belly button, and the others extending from that circle: one at the top, one at the bottom and two on either side. Each one passed through the other so that, even though it consisted only of seven circles, the the patterns created within the image were intricate.

"You like it?" Despo smiled and reached down to brush a finger along her navel.

Haruka pursed her lips. "Not too interested in protecting you identity are you?"

Despo shrugged but said nothing in her defense, she simply averted her gaze to the ceiling. Haruka sighed heavily.

"So you're agreeing to watch over Usagi then?"

"Yes Lancelot, I'll watch over your beloved Guinevere while you're away." She gushed and Haruka furrowed her brow, the reference lost upon her. Despo smiled at that.

"Good, but then you have to control your drinking." Despo's smile fell at Haruka's lecturing tone as she marched over to the bed and crouched down. She stuck her hand past the shield of the bed's skirt and withdrew an empty wine bottle that had been stashed there. Despo cocked her head and regarded the bottle with obvious surprise as Haruka glared at her upside down expression.

"I have no idea how that got there."

"Please, I can smell it on you Despo, you're still drunk." Haruka straightened herself.

Despo smiled. "Smells yummy huh?" She bit her lip under Haruka harsh stare and swallowed the rest of her smart-ass remarks.

"If you're going to be a soldier Despo, the least you could do is pretend to take your duty to the kingdom and the princess seriously." Haruka's words were slow but firm, stabbing their merit into Despo's gut.

The young woman sighed heavily and sat up, running the fingers of her right hand through her thick wild red hair, trying to neaten it to no avail. "You'd drink too if you lived with all the memories I do Haruka. All their voices, all their faces. I hate remembering them."

Haruka's face softened and she turned to sit on the edge of the bed next to Despo, though facing the opposite way. She extended an arm from one of Despo's shoulders across her chest to the other. She grasped that shoulder firmly and drew the younger girl toward her. Despo shifted her body until she found herself in Haruka's lap, her head on her shoulder.

"I could have saved them."

"No you couldn't have."

"I could have helped them."

"You weren't meant to help them then. You're going to help them now; that's your destiny. You should know it better than anyone else." Haruka's hand reached up so that her fingers could stroke through Despo's locks, gently disentangling them. Her touch was just as soothing as her voice.

"Thank you Haruka."

Despo pressed her face into the crook of Haruka's neck and Haruka held her there for as long as it took for the tension that shook Despo's shoulders to dissipate and the tears that had rolled silently from her eyes to dry.

Finally Despo drew her head back just enough for her eyes to meet Haruka's. "You wanna have sex?" She asked quite nonchalantly and Haruka burst out with the most genuine laughter she'd experienced in a very long time. Even longer than before Usagi's pregnancy revelation and Michiru's betrayal. It was the type of laugh that made one forget all the troubles that ailed them. It was the type of laugh Haruka had been needing.

"You're a piece of work Despo."

The young girl grinned. "You love it."

* * *

><p>A week later it was the night of the rehearsal dinner of Usagi and "Mamoru's" wedding. There had been no further sightings of the new enemy and, for the time being, the girls had put their worries to the back of their minds to focus on Usagi's wedding. Everyone that was, except Ami. The rehearsal had begun over forty-five minutes earlier, yet she was still barricaded in the lab hidden beneath Crowne arcade gathering data. While the others had busied themselves assisting Usagi and her mother with planning the wedding, Ami had spent every night of that week researching the diabolical specimen trapped in it's glass cage. Unfortunately, for all her efforts, Ami had come up with little else than what she had already shared with the other girls.<p>

The specimen was essentially a parasite, she knew that much; it had no distinguishable biology, it was simply a sludge like mass that fed on the life force of any living thing it came in contact with. Be it plant or animal the specimen would suck it dry until there was nothing left but a withered husk of what once was. She also knew it was not of their world and that was the main focus of Ami's research; trying to figure out just where the matter originated from. The universe was vast however, endless and ever-expanding. Though she had held out hope in the beginning that she would be able to find some trace of her specimen in their galaxy, Ami was finally succumbing to the realization that that was completely illogical.

A sigh pushed past her lips in a disheartened burst as she powered down the system mainframe, dimming the lights around her until she was left in complete darkness. She wasn't fazed at all, Ami had spent so much time in the lab that she could navigate blindfolded through it. She turned and skulked up the stairway and it wasn't until she was back on the arcades main floor that she felt any head to hurry herself. She doubted Usagi would be upset that she wasn't present for her rehearsal dinner, Ami had been far to wrapped up in her work to even consider anything else, and Usagi and the others would surely understand that. But Ami knew that none of them would forgive her if she didn't attend Usagi's bachelorette party. Though initially upset at Haruka's proposal plan, once the initial shock was over Minako instantly began preparations for Usagi's last hurrah as a single lady. Part of Ami thought it was silly and pointless—the marriage was a sham after all, by all accounts it wasn't even legal and the girls were running a risk of being charged with all sorts of felonies; including identity theft and fraud—but still, there was something about it that just felt right. Besides that, Minako would take any excuse to throw a party.

Absentmindedly Ami exited Crowne through the back door as she always did, moving through the alley toward the front entrance. The arcade had just closed only thirty minutes earlier, so the sound of voices at the mouth of the alley didn't give Ami pause, she had a knack for slipping by unnoticed by those around her, she always had.

"You're gorgeous." She heard a man express dreamily. It was Lee, the middle-aged man who had taken over running the arcade once Motoki had graduated school and gotten himself a better job.

The sound of a very familiar giggle stopped Ami dead in her tracks however just before she slipped through the alley's exit. She edged forward just slightly, bearing her weight into the alley wall for support as she carefully peaked around the corner. She saw the back of Lee's generously thick—for an older man anyway—salt and pepper longly buzzed hair. He was a broad and slightly hefty man, so Ami could not see around him enough to know exactly who he was talking to. She knew that laugh though and to still her own curiosity she dared to lean further around the corner of the alley to crane her head around Lee. Sure enough Ami spotted that head of wavy teal hair.

"Please don't laugh, it's true!" Lee exclaimed desperately. "Ever since that first day you came into the arcade I haven't been able to think about anything but you. I dream about you, I fantasize about you, I just want to be near you. I'd do anything for a chance to be close to you." Lee raved on in an almost agonized voice.

Michiru just smiled at him evenly, mockingly. Her blue stare was icy cold and seemed to go right through the man in front of her. Ami searched her memory for the images of Michiru's face. When had those beautiful features become hardened diamond? There had always been a coolness in Michiru's eyes but always, always there had been warmth in the way she smiled. Where had it gone? This person who Ami saw now, she barely resembled the girl Ami had known for so many years.

Her signature teal tresses were styled much more wildly and swept in a way so that they covered most of the left side of her face. She wore dark denim jeans instead of her usual finely tailored skirts and a flouncy black top with only one sleeve that stretched tightly down her left arm, leaving her right arm and shoulder completely bare. Her black boots stretched up past her knees and their high, sharp heal made a powerful scraping noise that made Ami wince as Michiru turned her back on Lee.

She didn't say a word to him, but he followed her obediently as she headed up the street. Finally Ami moved out of the alley to watch them, bewildered at what she had just saw. Ami was still watching as Lee followed Michiru around the corner, and just before she disappeared from site Michiru turned her head and met Ami's gaze. Her hair shifted ever so slightly but Ami saw only blackness beneath those wavy strands where Michiru's other eye should have stared. She was gone before Ami could get a good look though and, she knew that it was probably just a trick of shadows. It was dark after all. Even so her heart was hammering in her chest and she could not seem to catch her breath. She was distressed and hysterical, and she knew she was having a panic attack, though she had never had one before.

Ami turned and fled in the other direction, gasping for air as tears streamed down her face. Why was she so panicked? What was happening to her? What had Michiru become?

_If I could flow like the wind I would reach you._

_If I could shine like a moon I would keep shining on you._

_I'll be anything if it can stop you from being seized with fear._

_-Moments _by Ayumi Hamasaki

* * *

><p>Well it's finally here. Chapter 9. I apologize for the extremely long wait and humbly thank all of you who have stuck with the story and patiently waited for an update. Writing has been hard for me lately due to financial, relationship and mental health issues. Life is quite the little bitch you know. I'm still writing this story though and will continue to write it until it's finished, no matter how long that takes. It is very special to me. As are all of who who are reading and enjoying it. I can't make any promises that I will get the chapters out quicker, but I do hope that those of you who are following the story will continue to follow it.<p>

I love you all, thank you so much.

(note: Lancelot was a knight of the round table said to be in love with his queen Lady Guinevere, King Arthur's wife.)


End file.
